Code Geass:Kakumei no Hikaru
by HikaruNarukami
Summary: His family and childhood were destroyed before his eyes. Which path will the Black Dragon choose to change the world? What will he have to gain and lose in his revolution? Same timeline as canon. M for swearing and violence. Read and review, constructive criticism. No flames. AU. [TEMPORARY HIATUS] [Planned Rewrite]
1. Chapter 1

**Hello guys. Here I'm presenting to you my fanfiction. This is my first one so there may be mistakes. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated. Well here goes.**

" " -Speech

' ' -Thoughts

 _Italics_ \- Dreams and flashbacks

 **BOLD** \- Knightmare name and Geass commands

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass.

 **Code Geass: Kakumei no Hikaru**

 **Chapter 0**

 **Prologue**

 _He ran inside, eyes widened in fear at the sight of blood on the walls. 'Mother, Father, Tsurara…' The thought ran through his head as more corpses came into sight. His hair sticking to his face as sweat ran down. His feet hurt as he turned many corners, coming to face his parents' room._

 _The door swung open._

" _Mother, Father… There is someone in the house! Wake up!"_

 _The voice turned quiet as he saw the blood. His parents were on the ground, spread-eagled with knives sticking out of their back. "Hi-Hikaru.." A weak voice was heard. "Kaa-san!" He dashed towards her, scared and shivering with fear. "Hikaru, take Tsurara and run away. Hurry! Before they find you." Loud crashes were heard along with shouts of "Find them!" and "Kill them all!"_

 _The young boy looked around, scared._

" _Hikaru, hurry. Find Tsurara and run away." Suddenly, a girl around the same age as him ran into the room. "Onii-chan, Mama, Papa! Help me!"_

" _Tsurara!"_

 _The crashes began to approach them as the boy hugged the girl. They were shivering with fear, as he stared at the door, watching with unblinking eyes as the voices neared the room._

 _A gloved hand appeared on the frame, the white glove stained with blood._

 _A face soon followed, a bloodstained mask covering their face. The person wore a suit with black and white symmetrical patterns and had white hair. "Oh seems the children are here as well." A gun meet their sight, the black metal gleaming on the lights. The click heard clearly in the quiet of the night._

" _Good night children." A sadistic voice said._

" _NOOOOO! STOP! DON'T HURT THEM! I BEG YOU!" His mother's voice was the last thing he heard before it went black._

 _BANG!_

XXXXXXXXXX

He awoke with a start, sweat running down his face, blue-yellow eyes wide.

"Hikaru?" A sleepy voice came. He looked beside to find his friend, rubbing the sleep out of her identical eyes. "It's nothing Rei. It's alright. Just a bad dream is all."

He looked at her, running his fingers through her hair to calm her down.

"You can go back to sleep. I'll prepare breakfast. What do you want?"

She yawned cutely. "I'll help too. We can't have Sayoko-san alone do the work."

"Fine. I'll take a shower then."

"Okay!" She beamed brightly. He ruffled her hair slightly, laughing as she disappeared. "Be careful. Don't run in the hallways." He called after her. "I'm not a kid anymore, Hikaru."came her reply.

He stepped into the shower, the water spraying lightly on him, washing away the sleep. He stripped, looking at the scar on his heart. 'That day, I should've died. I'm sure it hit my heart. Just what happened that time?'

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Time seemed to slow down as the masked man fired. Just as the bullet hit his heart, he fell down, his blood staining his shirt. His parents' screams were all he heard as he fell to the ground._

XXXXXXXXXX

He dried his hair, still looking at the mirror. 'What was the blue light that I saw back then? My memories of that nightmare are still blurry.'

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Just as the man aimed the gun at his sister, he moved, a blue light surrounding him. "What?! How is he alive? I shot him in the heart!" As he turned towards his mother, she gasped. His eye had gained a sigil shaped like a bird. 'Geass! But how?! It can't be. CC gave him Geass! She must have been the green haired woman that he was talking about.'_

" _Thank you CC, for protecting my children. Goodbye, Hikaru, Tsurara. Be happy together." Her eye gained the same sigil and she looked at her children. A soft light surrounded the two kids. Tsurara fell unconscious immediately. Hikaru looked at his parents with longing as the sigil in his eye disappeared, his eyes glowing as he fell unconscious. The last thing he heard was an explosion and "Goodbye."_

XXXXXXXXXX

He punched the wall. 'I wasn't able to protect Tsurara that time. Now, I will protect Rei at least.'

'But… The investigators found no trace of a forced entry in the building. How did that man even enter the mansion? Goddammit! No signs of forced entry?! He murdered everyone in the mansion! And those people… Those bloody aristocrats wrote off the whole incident as an accident. I… I…. I can't accept that. I'll bring that man to justice!'

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Quick! We're losing him."_

" _He's lost high amounts of blood!"_

" _Get me a defibrillator now!"_

 _The heart monitor began to beep as his heart stopped. Suddenly, he was surrounded by a blue light and his heart began beating, the heart monitor again recording his pulse._

XXXXXXXXXX

'I was alive because of a miracle. So, one day, I'll make a miracle happen and change this world.'

He got dressed, taking his bag and shoes. He stepped out of his room, the smell of toast drawing him to the dining table. "Good morning, Hikaru-san!" He looked at the brunette and said, "Good morning, Nunnally." He took a slice of toast, asking, "Where are the others?" "Rei and Sayoko-san are in the kitchen. Onii-sama is in his room." 'Lelouch… I hope you haven't forgotten the promise you gave me. Because, SHE is the most important person in my life and I won't forgive you if she gets hurt when she's with you.'

A black haired boy with amethyst eyes entered the room, wearing the same uniform as him.

"Good morning, Lelouch." "Good morning."*Yawn* "Stayed up late?" He asked with a knowing smirk, getting up and towards the door. "I'll go on ahead." "Bye, Hikaru."

'The sky is beautiful today also!' He thought, looking at the sky. '7 years since Japan became Area 11…. 8 years since that nightmare began… 8 years since Lelouch was exiled' He stepped out of the clubhouse. 'Another peaceful day as Hikaru Alaina!'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Here, as you can guess, Hikaru and Rei are my OCs.**

 **Well, short prologue, I think. May not be able to update as frequently as possible. Follow and review if you liked the beginning. No action in this chapter. Next chapter will show Hikaru's side of the Shinjiku incident, with a mysterious Knightmare flash destroying Britannian troops. Next chapter will also contain HikaruxCecile moments. But no shipping between those two characters in this story.**

 **Read and Review... No flames...**


	2. Chapter 2

_Italics_ \- Dreams and flashbacks

Underlined \- Japanese

 _Italics+Underlined_ \- Speaking through electronic devices, phones, TVs, speakers, videos, etc.

 **I present to you Chapter 1. It shows Hikaru's side of the Shinjuku incident. And I thank my two followers HeavyarmsBuster-01 and Shiranai Atsune. I may not be able to update as frequently as I'd like to but I'll try my best.**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Shinjuku: The Dragoon and the Lancelot**

 **Hikaru's POV**

"Please take this letter, Hikaru!" A girl exclaimed, pushing a letter forward into my hands. 'Again? This has been the 25th letter this week and today is still Wednesday. Fine. I'll take the letter and write an honest reply like I do always.' I took the letter and said, "I'll give you a reply by tomorrow, Miss Jennifer." 'I'll just do it today during lunch.' The girl quickly left, blushing a deep red.

I pocketed the letter and left for the clubhouse, where the Student Council was meeting. 'I need to finish that budget work and the reply to that letter quick. I promised that I'd spend some time with Rei and Nunnally, after all. And I need to get those ingredients Sayoko-san asked me to bring.'

 **5 minutes later**

I watched as Lelouch and Rivalz headed towards one of their secret exits, again going to gamble against a noble in a chess match. 'Wonder who the unfortunate guy is this time.'

 **5minutes later**

"Your time's up. From now on, the time limit is 20 seconds." A man in a suit informed an old man. Suddenly, the door opened and Lelouch stepped in, followed by Rivalz.

"Ah thank god! My substitute has arrived."

"A student?" A noble looked at the raven haired teen.

"Sir, about the favour I asked?" "It will be done."

Rivalz took a glance at the board. "Oi Oi… There's no winning this."

"Rivalz, how long will it take for us to return to campus?"

"20 minutes if I hurry."

"Go slow. I want to take my time before I return."

"Are you sure, boy? You have only 20 seconds per move."

"That's all I need. I'll beat you in 9 minutes flat." The student said, picking up the king.

"Starting with the king?"

"If the king does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

 **9 minutes later**

"Im-impossible." Lelouch and Rivalz exited the room, Rival laughing brightly. "Man, this is a new record- 8 minutes and 32 seconds."

"This was not even an exercise."

"Man I love when you play nobles. They always pay up because of their pride."

"They're just parasites feeding off the society."

"Ah look! It's the Viceroy!"

" _People of Area 11! My heart is torn asunder by the actions of these terrorists. The actions of these terrorists have led to the deaths of the civilians and Numbers alike. I will not yield to these barbaric actions. Let us mourn for the deaths of those 8 brave soldiers who lost their lives in service to the Empire."_

 **5 minutes prior**

"I need to go get some groceries from the store. Prez, tell Rei that I'll be running late."

"Alright, Hikaru."

I headed to the garage and took out my car, after changing into civilian clothes.

 **Normal POV**

'Sayoko-san asked me to bring ingredients for today.'

He then looked around and noticed Lelouch and Rivalz. Suddenly, the ad screen lit up, showing the face of Clovis la Britannia, the Viceroy of Area 11. He glared at him as he gave his speech. 'Hypocrite! He is in a party enjoying while the civilians are suffering.' "Hey Hikaru!" Rivalz called.

Hikaru went over to the two and said, "Who was it this time?" 'Some noble I guess.'

They entered their vehicles and he drove first, entering the freeway before Rivalz.

XXXXXXXXXX

"A wonderful performance, Viceroy!" The blonde prince smiled as his assistants took off his robe. "Ah but of course, I am the Viceroy of Area 11." Suddenly, a fat man ran in, wearing a military uniform. "Your Highness!" "Bartley, how unsightly!" Clovis reprimanded as he looked at the sweating man. "Forgive me, Your Highness! But it's urgent." He leaned in to whisper something into his ear. "WHAT?! You incompetent fool! Send out my Royal Guard and the Knightmares too."

XXXXXXXXXX

Suddenly a truck drove past him recklessly. 'A military grade truck and the sound of helicopters?' The truck suddenly crashed into a construction site. The students pulled over. Hikaru stepped out and glared at the bystanders. 'They are not helping at all.'

He jumped over the fence, walking towards the truck. He saw Lelouch behind him. He climbed up the stairs. "Oi! Are you alright?!"

He heard an exclamation of "Britannians!" and coughed at the dust. "Daijobu desu ka?" He asked in Japanese. "What happened?" asked Lelouch. "I don't kno- Woah!" He was interrupted as the driver suddenly started the truck, both of them falling into the rear of the vehicle. "Shit!" He shouted. "We fell into the truck. What the hell is with my luck?" "Lelouch, look at this." Hikaru pointed at a capsule. 'This is a gas capsule.' **'I've finally found you. My…'** 'What was that voice? It seemed very familiar.'

"Oi Kallen let's use it here."

"That would mean a bloodbath."

"Right."

"Nagata I'll use the **Glasgow** and distract them. You use the subway and get to the others."

"Alright."

A door opened and a red haired girl stepped into the rear, going towards the Knightmare in the corner. The doors opened for the Knightmare and the students saw the helicopters. Suddenly they were hit by a piece of metal connected to a wire. " A **Slash Harken**?" The helicopters were destroyed in quick succession by the Knightmare, which jumped out quickly, the doors closing behind it.

" _That outdated_ _ **Glasgow**_ _cannot defeat me, Jeremiah Gottwald."_ A booming voice announced. _"That machine cannot even hope to match my_ _ **Sutherland**_ _. Lay down and die, you lowly Eleven."_

'Sutherland? That means the military is here and these guys are terrorists. Our luck couldn't be better, huh?'

The truck took a sudden turn, knocking the two students down. They were in for a bumpy ride as the ground was damaged. He took out his phone and used the flashlight, illuminating the back of the truck. Suddenly, the truck came to a violent stop. 'It crashed in the subway.' The door to the back opened, falling down onto the ground.

He stepped out and checked his phone. 'No service.'

The sound of footsteps alerted him. 'Only one person? But he seems to be from the military.' I think we should ask them for protection. I can use my name for protection.'

"Lelouch, we'll ask the military for some help. I can use my name for recognition." "Are you alright with using your name like that?" "That's the only option we have left."

"Hikaru, look out!" "Huh?" They were rudely interrupted by a kick from someone in military gear, throwing the blue-haired student towards a wall. "Stop! You shouldn't kill anymore!How low can you go, using poison gas!"

'That voice! And that kick! It's HIM!' Hikaru thought as Lelouch replied, "Isn't Britannia the one that developed this weapon?" He stepped out into the light, showing his face. "Lelouch, is it you? It's me, Suzaku." The man removed his headgear, showing the face of a teenager the same age as Lelouch, with brown hair and emerald-green eyes. "Su-Suzaku?! You joined the military?!"

A sharp hissing sound was heard as the capsule opened suddenly. "Oh no!" Suzaku tackled Lelouch to the ground, covering his mouth and nose with a gas mask. 'No. That is not poison gas.' Hikaru thought as he got a glimpse of green hair. 'Wait! Green? No way. I've seen that shade of green only when I was in the mansion in the homeland. That hair belonged to Kaa-san's friend CC and she was the one who played with Rei and comforted us after my parents' death. Why is she here? And why is she in a gas capsule?'

His suspicions were proved correct as a beautiful young green-haired woman emerged from the capsule, with yellow golden eyes and restrained in a white straitjacket.

He felt something wet run down his cheek. 'Huh? I'm crying? Why?Why am I crying at the sight of her? Why do I get the feeling that kaa-san is with CC? Why am I being reminded of kaa-san when I look at her?' CC looked at him and her golden eyes widened. "You.. You are HER son!"

"You remember me, CC?" "You're Hikaru Alaina, aren't you, Setsuna's son?" "Yes, I am."

Lelouch and Suzaku paid them no heed as Lelouch asked the soldier, "Tell me, Suzaku. Poison gas? This girl?" "But we were told that it was poison gas…" He trailed off.

Suddenly, many footsteps were heard, prompting Hikaru to look towards the source. 'Prince Clovis' Royal Guard!'

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Stay down, you filthy Eleven!"_ Jeremiah's voice boomed as he attacked with the **Stun Tonfa** , the **Glasgow** trying and failing to dodge, another Sutherland firing a barrage at the red Knightmare. _"These guys are strong. I need to get to the ghetto."_ The Landspinners skidded as the woman manoeuvred the weapon towards another road, leading into the ghetto.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You did a good job in finding the capsule, Warrant Officer, but your orders did not involve looking at the contents of the capsule."

"But sir! We were told that it was poison gas."

"In light of your efforts, we will excuse your recent actions. Take the girl and execute these terrorists."

"But sir! These are not terrorists. They are just civilians who were caught up in this mess."

"You! Are you refusing a direct order from your superior?!"

"I'm sorry but I refuse to harm a civilian."

"Suzaku…"

"It's alright, Lelouch."

'No! Don't do it, Suaku. We've seen too much. Something is up with CC and it's confidential. They're going so far as to disguise it as poison gas. They'll execute us even if we're civilians.'

"Then we have no use for you, Eleven." The captain said, shooting Suzaku.

"Suzaku!" "Damn you, Britannia… Find it, Ohgi... Nippon BANZAI!(Long Live Japan!)" The man in the driver's seat of the truck shouted, pressing a button. Immediately, an explosion ensued.

XXXXXXXXXX

"My Lord! It seems that they escaped with the capsule!"

"What?! You fool!"  
"The blast was mainly directed upwards and our guard is still finding them. They seem to have escaped into the Shinjuku Ghetto."

"We're moving into Phase B." Clovis ordered.

"But your highness!"

"Enough Bartley! Give out the orders."

"You heard the prince. Annihilate the Shinjuku Ghetto."

"In the name of Third Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, Clovis la Britannia, I order you, annihilate the Shinjuku Ghetto." Clovis stood up, stretching his right arm forward for emphasis.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gunshots and explosions rang out as tanks and foot soldiers shot at the Elevens in the ghetto. The civilians ran as the buildings were destroyed, courtesy of the Sutherlands opening fire on the Elevens.

'I need to hide and get past the blockade into the Settlement.' Hikaru hid behind a wall, the combat knife in his hand, other knives hidden in his coat at various locations. 'I have about 13 knives with me and I can fight someone one-on-one. And I can also handle guns. So, what is it that I am shaking from?' He looked at the hand holding the knife. 'Is it because I am scared? Scared of death?' He looked at his scarf and remembered his family.

'NO! I'm scared that once I take action, I may change and may not be able to go back to how I was before. I'm scared that Rei and the others will not accept me once I change.'

"DAMN IT!" He shouted, punching a wall, creating cracks in the wall and drawing the attention of 3 Sutherlands nearby.

" _You there! What is a Britannian doing here?!"_

'Shit! They noticed me. What should I do?' He considered his options. 'One, run away and be shot down. Two, give him the information I have and ask for protection for me and Lelouch. Three, do not give an answer and be gunned down like the Elevens. Four, give my details and get executed anyways and probably endanger Rei too.'

" _If you don't answer, I'll shoot."_ The voice in the Knightmare boomed as the wall behind him was shot down.

'Wait… That voice is… Jeremiah Gottwald! Purist Faction… That means if I can use my father's status as a noble and give him what I know, I may be safe.'

He quickly pocketed the knife and held up his hands in surrender. "Please help!"

"My name is Hikaru Alaina, heir to the Alaina family title of Duke of Valdstein. Here is my ID. After you gentlemen confirm my ID, I would like to request protection and escort to outside the ghetto for me and my friend, Lelouch Lamperouge who's stuck in this ghetto somewhere." 'Where are you Lelouch and is CC with you? And why is CC imprisoned by Clovis?'

His questions were left unanswered as one of the soldiers in the Sutherland exited his cockpit and checked his ID. "You weren't lying. I'm Kewell Soresi, a soldier of the Knightmare Corps. I would like you to give me some identification of your friend." "Yes sir."

'I think I have a photo of him, me and Rivalz in my phone.'

Hikaru took out his phone, showing a picture of Lelouch to the blonde soldier. "I see. We will search for your friend and drop him off at his house once we find him. Where do you live?"

"Um… I left my car on the freeway to check on an accident and was somehow dragged into this mess. I would be happy if you dropped me outside the ghetto." "Fine kid."

He walked towards the Sutherland, following the blonde soldier.

"Stop." Jeremiah's voice was heard as he stepped out of the Sutherland, a gun pointed at him and said, "Kewell, check him for weapons."

"Are you joking, Jeremiah? He's just a kid."

Suddenly, he felt a knife at his neck. Just as suddenly, it disappeared. "Here. I have 13 combat knives with me and I have the license to possess these weapons, along with the license for guns, bladed weapons and also Knightmares provided I don't act against the government and cooperate with the military should any such occasion arise." Hikaru said in a calm voice as he took off the knives strapped to his coat and and showed him to the teal haired man. "These are the only weapons that I possess at the moment, Margrave Gottwald." "For a student, you are really fast, aren't you?"

"I had to train. After that incident in Pendragon 8 years ago, I had to learn how to fight so that I could protect myself."

"I see. It certainly answers my questions."

As he turned back towards the Knightmares, Hikaru suddenly stopped him. "Please wait!"

"What is it now?" Kewell asked. "Another friend of mine is stuck here. I told her to stop at a place in case of terrorists attacking. Could you please wait here until I find her and bring her back? I request you."

"Where is she? We'll go get her for you."

"That won't do, my lord. She is antisocial and reclusive and doesn't trust many people due to an incident that happened during her childhood. Right now, she trusts only me and my friend to an extent. Please, I beg you allow me to search for her."

"Soresi, do as he asks." "What?" "He's nobility. And the Duke of Valdstein is a big name. If we gain a favour in his book, then we can have respect and many benefits. And he is quite famous among the nobility. I remember seeing him on some parties that we attended and he carried himself with confidence. So just do as he asks."

"Alright, Jeremiah."

After their whispered conversation was finished, Kewell turned towards the blue haired boy and said, "Alright, young man. I'll give you 30 minutes to search for her. Then I'll leave whether you want to or not. And you will be responsible for your own life."

"Thank you sir!" He turned towards the Margrave and said, "May I take back my knives, my lord?"

Tangerine orange eyes looked at him and said, "Alright. Kewell, you stay here and be on lookout for any terrorists. Viletta, you come with me and take out the trash." _"Yes, Lord Jeremiah."_ A woman's voice was heard over the speaker of the Sutherland.

Hikaru turned around, strapping the knives to his coat and said, "Thank you."

 **2 minutes later**

He tried to call Lelouch but didn't get any answer. 'Damn it!'

"Wait. Maybe he called Shirley." He called the orangette and sighed in relief when she picked up. "Hikaru, where are you?" "Sorry, I was struck in traffic. Did Lelouch call you?" "Lulu?Yes he did. He asked me something about Shinjuku." "Really?" "Yeah and he hung up on me!" "He's an idiot, Shirley. I'll call you later." "Hmm okay."

'Lelouch knows about what is happening so he's not here I hope. At the least, he knows about this incident and is hiding somewhere or is even at home. But where's CC?' His thoughts turned towards her, more specifically to the words she spoke to him at his home in the capital 8 years ago.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _His blue eyes were wide with joy as he ran in the big garden, without any care in the world. Suddenly, he bumped into someone. "Oh, I'm so sorry." He looked at the person he bumped into and muttered, "Beautiful." Her yellow eyes looked at him. "Boy, are you Setsuna's son?" "Are you mom's friend? I'm Hikaru. Nice to meet you." 'This boy… Why do I want to give him Geass? I'm somehow feeling that he has the power to grant me my wish.' "I'm CC and I'm your mother's friend." "CC? That's a strange name." He laughed brightly. She too laughed along with him as she looked at him, her eyes showing kindness and becoming soft. "I suppose it is." "Since you have such beautiful green hair, can I call you Midori?" "Huh? Midori?" She repeated as another female voice made itself known to them. "Hikaru, where are you? I told you not to run."_

" _CC! When did you come here?" "A while back. I met your son some time ago."_

" _Really?" "Kaa-san, I made a new friend. She's telling that she's your friend too."_

" _Yes she is, Hikaru." "Setsuna, you go ahead. I'll talk to him about something he said to me and bring him back." 'Hmm odd. CC wanting to talk to him about something he said? Odd. But well she won't hurt him.' "Alright, CC but don't take too long."_

 _As he looked at his mother's fading back and long hair, coloured black and varying shades of blue, covering her scarf, he looks as a soft material covers his neck. "A scarf?" "Take it from me as a gift to you." Her voice was caring as he looked at the scarf, with vertical zig-zag patterns and a sigil of a dragon made of ice, lightning and fire. "It's beautiful. Thank you, um…" "Cera."_

" _Huh?" "Call me Cera. But only when we are alone. And don't tell anyone my name. You can call me Midori if you want to when someone is with you."_

" _Okay. Thank you very much, Cera-san. I'll treasure this gift. This is my birthday present that you gave me after all." "Birthday?" "Yeah. When is your birthday, Cera-san? I'll give you a present too." 'My birthday? I've forgotten it long ago.'_

" _I don't remember it."_

" _Eh? Then we'll celebrate it today, as the day that you became my friend!"_

" _Fine. Do what you want." She said, a small smile adorning her face as she turned to him and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Various images flashed through his head and the Geass sigil flashed before his eyes._ _ **"I'm bestowing a gift to you. This Power will help you in protecting or destroying. Choose what you will do with this power. Use it and you will among the humans but different from them. A different providence, a different time, a different life."**_ _His eyes gained the sigil in his eyes and disappeared afterwards. "What did you do, Cera-san?" "Just Cera is fine. And I didn't do anything. It might be your imagination."_

XXXXXXXXXX

He suddenly felt a burst of power as his eyes glowed and his hair spiked up a little. 'That feeling… It's like I felt Cera's presence. And I could sense her. I need to find her. Then get the hell out of here with Lelouch.' He felt a burst of speed as he ran, turning at high speeds, covering large distances in a short amount of time and reached a warehouse. He noticed the steps leading downwards and felt her presence there. "MIDORI!" He shouted, running down the stairs. He suddenly bumped into a figure. He took his knife and took a stance, looking at the figure. He relaxed visibly as he recognized them. "Are you alright?" He asked, looking at CC, seeing her now freed from her restraints.

"Let's get the hell out of here! I arranged for an escort from the military. We can go to the freeway. That's all we can do right now."

He removed his coat and gave it to CC, covering her clothes. "Here. If someone sees you and asks why you are in a straitjacket, we'll be in trouble. He removed the knives and took them, giving one to CC and strapping the other knives to his pant legs. "Why the hell are you carrying knives?" "I'll explain afterwards."

They ran out of the warehouse, just 2 minutes before the Royal Guard stormed the place.

 **10 minutes later**

"Hurry up."

They arrived at the spot where Kewell was, the Sutherland ready to fire at any machine.

"Lord Kewell! It's me, Alaina."

"Oh! You've arrived huh? Good. I've arranged an escort for you and it's waiting at the Special Corps' trailer. I'll take you two. And I'll radio the others that you friend has not been found."

"Thank you." They climbed onto the Sutherland's hand. "Um, Lord Kewell, do you have a Knightmare?" "Why?" "I would like to pilot one so that two of us can sit in one cockpit so that you can take out these trash and fulfill your duty to the empire." "Hmm… You have a valid point. And travelling like this is not exactly safe either. I'll see what I can do." A few seconds later he replied, "You're lucky. ASEEC has an experimental Knightmare which is coming here along with their trailer. You can ride in that."

 **5 minutes later**

A trailer pulled into view, along with two Knightmares in tow. One of them was white and gold in colour and resembled a white knight.

The other was black with blue streaks and the face resembled a dragon, the hands resembling claws. "ASEEC, you were not given permission to launch, were you?"

A silver haired man stepped out, childish grin on his face with a young blue-purple haired woman in tow, both of them wearing military uniform, with the man's resembling a noble's military uniform. 'Earl Lloyd Asplund and Cecile Croomy, Camelot's members. And one of the core members for the development of the my **Dragoon**. They both recognise me by the looks of it. And the other one must be the **Lancelot** , I guess. 7th generation Knightmare Frames.'

" !" Cecile exclaimed in shock as she looked at him in shock, standing atop the Knightmare's hand. "Just Hikaru is fine, Miss Cecile. That is the **Dragoon** , isn't it?" " Yes. That is yourDragoon, Hikaru." Cecile replied with a small smile on her face. "Really Hikaru, your funding is more than what Prince Schneizel has ever given the Camelot and you gave it to me as the starting fund." Lloyd said as he walked over to him. "But I want to know why you gave Miss Cecile more funding than me."

Hikaru jumped down, next to Cecile. "Simple, Earl Lloyd. I was more interested in this beautiful woman's work more than your work and so I provided more funding for her. And look, I'm proud of my **Dragoon** that Cecile played a major part in creating. And I thank you also Lloyd but I liked her design more." 'Not to mention, she's a better person than you, you sociopath.' Cecile blushed a bright red at his compliments.

"I want more funding if you want those **Harken Claws**."

"I had Cecile install the **Maser Vibration Claws** and had them modified to also use them to pass electricity through it. But I'm interested in those **Flame Harkens** of yours. I'll look into those when after I take my Knightmare on a test run. Are you in need of any assistance now?"

"Hmm… We don't know, Hikaru." Cecile said. "There are reports saying that the terrorists are pushing back and they've got Knightmares with them too. Our forces are slowly being pushed back and we are losing."

'I have an idea.' "Cecile, please get Lloyd to contact the Viceroy. I'll launch and help you."

"But you could be in danger."

He smiled at her, "I am happy that you are worried about me but my friend is out there and if I returned without him, I couldn't face Rei and Nunnally. Please do it."

He turned to Lloyd and requested him, "Please, Lloyd." "Hmm… it's against rules."

"When the hell did you care for rules?!" He shouted and said, "Besides, you need some data for your research right? I'll provide that data you need in my **Dragoon** along with that **Lancelot**. Please Lloyd."

His face with neutral for a while but suddenly, he broke out into a grin as they all went inside. "Come inside then. We have another Devicer for the **Lancelot** with us."

"Thank you."

They all went inside as Kewell went off to do his duty, the Sutherland's metal gleaming in the sun, hunting down the terrorists.

XXXXXXXXXX

Lloyd went inside the trailer, Cecile, Hikaru and CC following him. Cecile and Hikaru about the **Dragoon** , talking about its functions, weapons and OS. "So you didn't install the **Energy Wing** in it, Cecile?" "It's not perfected yet." "I see. But I want the first upgrade from the system before everyone."

"Alright."

They went into the medical bay. "Suzaku!" Hikaru cried out as he laid his eyes on the brown haired soldier lying on the bed, unconscious. "You know him?"

"He's my friend."

"He was in a bad shape when he came in. He was saved only because his pocket watch prevented the bullet from causing a fatal wound. But he's affected by blood loss. And he needs blood."

"I see. I'll provide him blood."

"What?! You can't! The amount of blood he needs is too much. You can't give it alone."

"I can. I have an abnormal rate of healing from my childhood. I'll survive but if I don't donate my blood, Suzaku won't."

"But-"

"Please trust me."

 **3 minutes later**

After 3 long minutes of convincing Cecile, he lay down on the bed, and winced slightly as the needle pierced his skin. "What the hell are these needles? These hurt more than the ones I was injected with at the hospital."

"I'm sorry. Those have a small numbing agent to numb the pain but we don't have it in stock." She apologized, her eyes showing worry and concern as the blood was transfused from him to Suzaku.

"I see."

 **2 minutes later**

He was sleeping under Cecile's observation after donating his blood to Suzaku. He suddenly shifted in his sleep, tossing and turning. He was muttering "No.. no.. don't hurt her.. please don't hurt her.. I will do anything you ask… please don't hurt my family…" "Hikaru?!" Cecile exclaimed in worry as she looked at him, shaking him to wake him up from his nightmare. 'Is he having a nightmare?' "Hikaru! Wake up! Wake up!"

"NO! It's all my fault! Don't hurt them!"

'What should I do?!'

She then slapped him on his face, waking him up from the shock. He moved, sitting up suddenly, colliding into Cecile.

Cecile felt something soft on her lips and blushed scarlet instantly as she realised what it was. 'A kiss?!' She exclaimed in her head as both of them stayed still in that position, shocked by the occurrence.

They pulled back at the same time, both of them blushing a bright red as they muttered at the same time, "My first kiss."

 **1 minute later**

Both of them were still in shock, staring at the other with blushers on their faces. "Um… I-I-I-I'm s-s-so-sor-sorry C-Ce-Cecile!" Hikaru stuttered an apology, fully expecting to get slapped.

His words brought Cecile out of her stupor and she recognised his words. "I-it's al-alright!" She exclaimed in an embarrassed tone. "I'm prepared to do anything you ask as an apology!" He declared.

"It's alright!"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation as Lloyd entered the room. "Is our benefactor awake?"

He noticed the blue haired young man talking to the blue haired young woman. "Yes, I'm awake Lloyd. Where's Midori? She's watching Suzaku Kururugi. He's stable now and will wake up any minute."

"The battle?" "The military's best pilots are either dead or ejected and the terrorists are still pushing us back. But we haven't received any permission to launch."

"Anyway, Cecile, please give me theDragoon's manual. And I'll see if Suzaku is awake." He stepped out of the room, now wearing his blue muscle shirt, showing his muscles. He then went to where Suzaku was asleep and saw CC observing him. "Are you alright, Midori?" "I am." She said calmly. "Why were you in that capsule?"

"Clovis." She replied simply. "He imprisoned me after Japan became Area 11. That was why I was in that capsule. They experimented on me and called the project **Code R**. An attempt to replicate my powers of immortality and the power of **Geass**. A contractor I had, named Rai, was killed by his men when I was here and I mistakenly mentioned Geass. Bartley Aspirus, the Viceroy's General and his Royal Guard know about me. That's all. How have you been?" "I have been alright. Rei too. I was able to stay safe because of my Duke status. Do you know what happened to Lelouch?"

She hesitated for a bit but then answered, "I made a contract with him and gave him Geass. He ordered the Royal Guard to commit suicide with his power. And he began helping the terrorists, I assume."

"So Lelouch is our opponent this time."

 **2 minutes later**

Suzaku stirred awake and found Hikaru staring at him. "Hikaru!" "Suzaku, are you alright!" "Yeah. I feel a little unbalanced but I feel fine."

"Good. Come with me."

'I've sent Cera to my home. And I've called Lelouch. He's saying he's at home but he's here. I can tell that he's lying so I have that out of the way. Next, all we have to do is wait for permission to launch and we'll have everything done.' The gears in his brain twisted and turned as he filled Suzaku in on the situation. Suzaku gasped as he realised that he was going to pilot a Knightmare. "Am I allowed to pilot a KMF, Hikaru?" "If the situation calls for it."

 **5 minutes later**

"Your Highness, please call it the **Lancelot**.

Lloyd was interrupted by Hikaru taking his place. "Your Highness, I request you to please give me your permission in helping our empire in this predicament."

The nobles gasped as they recognized him. "I'm Hikaru Alaina, Duke of Valdstein. I would like to provide assistance to the empire in my Dragoon along with the Lancelot. Please, I beg of you."

" _Fine then. You have my permission. Don't make me regret this chance I have given you."_

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Hikaru smiled as he thanked the Viceroy.

He took the custom pilot suit provided to him by Cecile and went to a room to change, forgetting to lock the door. He changed into the pants and took off his shirt, looking at his scars. Suddenly, the door opened as Cecile entered, a book in hand. She blushed as she looked at him. 'A scar over his heart?!' Her eyes widened as she looked at his scars. "I'm sorry. I thought that you were done changing as the door wasn't locked."

"It's alright, Cecile." Hikaru replied as he wore the T-shirt which hugged his body. "Did you design it?" "Yes."

"Thanks Cecile. It's comfortable even though it is tight-fitting. And it looks good as well. You worked hard for my request, it seems."

"Eh no, it's alright."

"I know. Why don't I take you out for a dinner as my thanks?" 'A date?' Cecile blushed at that thought as she answered, "I would like that very much. Here is the manual." "Thanks."

He left the room and Cecile followed him out of the room. He saw Suzaku, in a white pilot suit and wearing a communicator. "Are you really alright?" Suzaku asked. "I heard that you donated blood to me. Are you sure you can fight in a Knightmare after giving that much blood?" "I'm fine, Suzaku. I have a high rate of healing." 'Not high. Abnormal rate of healing. How is he alright after giving that much amount of blood? I am really curious about it. I'm curious about him as well personally. That scar over his heart. It seemed like a bullet wound. How did he get that wound and how did he survive it?' She looked at him as she handed him a communicator.

"Hey Suzaku, I think I'll join the ASEEC as a tester after this incident is over. I'm having so much fun even in this situation." "Huh? You will?" "Yeah."

They went towards the two Knightmares, Suzaku staring in awe at them. "This is the Lancelot?"

"The white and gold knight like one is the Lancelot and the black, dangerous, and wild looking one is the Dragoon, which is mine."

"Yours?"

"They are **H-01 Dragoon** and **Z-01** **Lancelot**. They are advanced 7th generation Knightmare Frames developed by us and they are prototypes. Hikaru Alaina will pilot the **H-01 Dragoon** and Suzaku Kururugi will pilot the **Z-01 Lancelot**. The two frames are outfitted with the **MVC** and the **MVS** respectively, the claws for Hikaru's frame and the swords for Suzaku's frame. They are weapons which will vibrate at a high rate, giving it high cutting properties and sharp edges. Make use of them carefully. They are powered by the **Yggdrasil Drive** enhanced by Sakuradite, which is also distributed throughout the frame, making the movements smoother and faster, but also hard to control. You two have been chosen to be the pilots due to your high simulation scores. They have been outfitted with **Landspinner Propulsion Systems** , **Factsphere Sensors** and **Slash Harkens** like other frames but they are more advanced than other previous generation frames. TheLancelot and the Dragoon are fitted with a **Blaze Luminous Shielding System** , green for theLancelot and blue for theDragoon. TheSlash HarkenSystems are also fitted with **Harken Boosters**. They also have been customized for battle. I assume you have read the manual you two have been given?"

"More or less." Hikaru said as Suzaku nodded.

They entered the cockpits of their respective frames by stepping up the zipline and climbing up. As Suzaku got accustomed with the systems, Hikaru started the frame and got familiar with the systems. "It's amazing, Cecile, Lloyd. Truly a masterful piece of work. And these weapon systems are very good too."

He made himself comfortable as a calm expression settled on his face and he opened a line with Cecile and Lloyd and Suzaku. _"What's the mission?"_

" _You two are to provide support to our forces and terminate the enemy forces, which are reported to be in Sutherlands._ _ **Advanced Experimental Prototype Weapons H-01 Dragoon, Z-01 Lancelot**_ _will engage the enemy forces and combat the Sutherlands with the use of your weapons. This entails the details of your present mission."_

" _Understood."_ Both of them replied in unison.

" **Advanced Experimental Prototype** **Weapons H-01 Dragoon, Z-01 Lancelot** launching in 1 minute."

"All weapons systems optimal. **Devicer** synchronization optimal. **Energy Filller** status: Green. Yggdrasil Drive operational." The operators reported as the two weapons were prepped for launch. _"Be careful, both of you."_ Cecile said with worry as Lloyd added, _"And don't damage the Knightmares."_

" _ **Advanced Experimental Prototype Weapons H-01 Dragoon, Z-01 Lancelot M.**_ _!"_

" _M. !"_ The two pilots repeated as they readied the frames.

" _Advanced Experimental Prototype Weapons H-01 Dragoon, Z-01 Lancelot launching!"_

" _Launching!"_

The two frames launched, the white and gold Knightmare going full-throttle, blowing away the papers on the work deck, making Lloyd laugh.

"So impressive… He's going full-throttle right off the bat."

As Suzaku raced down the road, Hikaru increased his frame's speed, the wheels on his Landspinners creating friction against the ground. _"Suzaku, slow down!" "No! I need to find Lelouch too. The faster we go, the faster we can find Lelouch."_

He didn't slow down in the least. Suddenly, a Slash Harken raced past him and hit a Sutherland on his right, destroying the head and the sensors along with it.

The Dragoon's claws glowed blue as it slashed at the older Knightmare, ripping it apart as the pilot ejected and the cockpit was propelled somewhere safe to the distance.

" _Holy shit! These claws are cool! Thanks for these claws, Cecile!"_ Hikaru exclaimed as he ripped apart another Knightmare, shredding it to pieces and activating its ejection system.

" _Suzaku, going so fast means that you won't be able to notice your enemies and you'll die. How will you find Lelouch if you are dead? Just calm down and we'll find Lelouch together. Just calm down."_

" _He's right, Suzaku. You have to calm down."_ Cecile added.

The brown haired soldier took a calming breath and said a moment later, _"Alright. I'm sorry."_

" _Now, Cecile, wasn't there a sensor I asked you to install which_ _will detect Knightmares even if they don't have_ _ **IFF**_ _s?"_

" _It's still experimental and_ _using it may consume higher energy than calculated."_

" _And the electricity in the claws?"_

" _Same."_

" _Good. The sensors function by sending a wave of radiation based on electricity and sakuradite to detect Knightmares and other machines which use Yggdrasil Drive technology, isn't it?"_

" _Yes."_

" _How do you activate it?"_

" _You place both the claws in the air and input the command code_ _ **Command 13**_ _into the keyboard then type my first name as the password."_

" **Command 13** " Hikaru repeated as he put his Knightmare in position and inputted the command then typed the password. " **Cecile** "

A small sheen of discharge covered the claws and spread out in a wave around the whole area.

" _You did it wide range?!"_ Cecile shouted in worry. _"That could damage your frame and potentially hurt you!"_

" _As happy as I am for having such a beautiful woman worry for me, I have to take the risk, Cecile. I thank you for the concern, though, as a friend."_ He said with a smile, making Cecile blush lightly.

" _Anyway, my frame is still functional and the energy is about 76%, I guess. Most of the energy consumption was due to the_ _wide range wave. Anyway, Cecile, did you get the data from the wave?"_

" _Yes. I had it analyzed. I'm sending it to you and Suzaku. Be careful, both of you."_

As he received the data, he smirked. _"Why are you smiling, Hikaru?"_

" _Look at the positions of these guys. And their piloting skills too. These guys are just amateurs. The only reason these guys are winning is because their leader is a good strategist and our strategists are not as good as their guy is. But this is the end for them. Suzaku, follow me. We're ending this thing right now."_ Hikaru kicked his Landspinnersinto gear, the machine racing forward. 'With this, I can do it. I can end this.'

Suzaku raced forward after him. They soon ran into a group of Knightmares. _"Suzaku, use the MVS in combination with my_ _MVC."_

" _Alright."_ The swords and claws of the two machines shredded the opposing machines to pieces. A few of them opened fire on them, only for a green shield and blue shield to block the bullets. He smirked as they were shocked into not moving, staying still as he shredded them apart. He then said, _"Suzaku, in the 6th building to our right on the 20th floor, a unit is staying still. That's the leader. You go and finish him. I'll take care of the grunts."_

" _Understood."_ The two machines went their own ways, Hikaru running straight into a group ofSutherlands and slashing at them, quickly ripping them apart. Suddenly, a building started to collapse and two Knightmares of the military were stuck below it. "Shit!" He cursed, charging his two MVCs with electricity and started moving his claws at high speeds and slashed at the collapsing debris. _"Fire your weapons at the debris, quick!"_

The two military soldiers fired at the debris with their assault rifles. The Dragoon's Blaze Luminous activated at the top, shielding them from the debris.

As the dust cleared, Hikaru asked, _"Are you alright?" "Y-yes. We are alright. You go and do your duty."_

The Dragoon left without another word, claws still crackling with electricity.

" _Hikaru, return to the trailer." "What?! Why?!" "That debris damaged your shield and your energy is low. You can go for only 5 minutes more." "That's all I need."_

" _Please Hikaru do as I say. You said that you would. Then come back."_

" _Fine. I'll come back, but only because you wanted me to." "Good."_

He kicked the Landspinners in reverse, going towards the trailer, on guard.

The Viceroy's announcement was heard by all forces. _"This is Clovis la Britannia. I order a ceasefire. I order you, stop all fighting and treat all the injured, whether they be Britannian or Eleven. In the name of Clovis la Britannia, I order you to stop all fighting."_

'Seems like it's over now.' Hikaru thought as he returned to the trailer and stepped out of his cockpit, only to come face to face with an angry Cecile. 'Oh shit!' He swore.

She looked at him with an angry look on her face. "Please don't hurt me. I'm sorry. I won't act recklessly like that again."

She looked at him, his face showing a sincere apology as he looked at her.

'He looks cute like this. Wait! Cute? Where did that thought come from?'

She then sighed in relief that he was safe and said, "Don't do that again, alright, Hikaru?" "Alright, Cecile." He smiled at her. 'He looks cuter with a smile on his face.' She too smiled as she looked at his face showing relief. "You know Cecile, please don't get angry like that. Because I don't want my friend to get angry at me and you look a bit scary when you're angry." She was about to get angry again at his words but blushed as he continued. "And you look more beautiful with a smile and a happy look on your face, Cecile."

Before they could continue any further, the sound of the Lancelot stopped them as Suzaku stepped out of the cockpit. "You did a good thing back there, saving the woman and her child." "They were innocent and I protected them, that's all there is to it." Suzaku replied.

"Good work, both of you." Lloyd said with a happy look on his face. "We collected lots of data because of you."

'Atleast he's satisfied. And I have time to go home.' "Suzaku, will you come to my house?" "That sounds like a good idea." 'And I should take my car while I'm at it.'

 **30 minutes later**

He stood in front of his car or more accurately what was left of it.

"What the hell happened to my car?!" He shouted.

"Hmm… the damage seems to be from a Glasgow and a truck."

'A Glasgow and a truck? It's those terrorists then.'

"Um I'm sorry?" Cecile said as she looked at his destroyed car. He then took a good look at good car and then went to get something from the dashboard.

"A pendant?" He was holding a pendant shaped like an icicle. "Atleast this was not destroyed. This took a long time to make. And I don't want to miss Tsurara's birthday."

He then looked at the door of the car, which came off the moment he touched it. He laughed awkwardly as he then kicked the car angrily, making it hit the fencing and then walked off, putting the pendant into his pocket.

"Wait, Hikaru." Cecile called after him, offering him a ride.

 **30 minutes later**

Hikaru thanked the two researchers as he stepped out. Suzaku followed after him, carrying a small duffe bag. "Hikaru, do you know who that woman in the capsule was?" "I don't." He lied simply. "I see."  
They went inside the house. "Hikaru, I think it's better if Cecile and Lloyd come inside too with their team."  
"Hmm... I'll call them." He took his phone and called Cecile, telling them to come inside and park the trailer in the garage.  
As the trailer entered the compound, he led all of them inside the big mansion, where he was tackled by Rei on opening the door. "Hikaru, are you alright? You aren't hurt, are you?" "Rei, I'm fine. We have guests."  
Only then did she notice Suzaku and the members of ASEEC at the door.  
"Hello, I'm Rei Zukari,. Hikaru's girlfriend."  
"The brown haired stupid looking guy is Suzaku. The two at the front are Lloyd Asplund and Cecile Croomy. The rest are the members of ASEEC, the team which developed mine and Suzaku's Knightmares. And this is Rei Zukari, as she told, my girlfriend." Hikaru introduced the two sides to each other. He looked around for CC but noticed that she wasn't present. 'Looks like she didn't come here. Probably went to look for Lelouch.'

"Why were you late?" "I was stuck in Shinjuku but I got out by helping the Viceroy's forces along with Suzaku in our Knightmares?" "I see. Anyway, Lelouch called to inform that he was safe." "I see."

 **5 minutes later**

The members of ASEEC were making themselves comfortable in the lounge while Lloyd went into the garage. "Lloyd is going to mess with the old Knightmares I have, I guess. And he has the data too." Hikaru remarked offhandedly as he changed into more comfortable clothes.

He sat at a sofa with Rei, discussing about the Lancelot and Dragoon with the members of ASEEC.

Suzaku suddenly cut in. "Hikaru, where's Tsurara? I can't see her anywhere."

Hikaru immediately went quiet, starting to shake slightly. "It's her birthday tomorrow, right? It's almost midnight. I'll see if she's awake and wish her." Suzaku continued, not noticing Hikaru's change in demeanour. "Come with me. I'll take you to her." Hikaru said quietly, a drastic change from his bright tone.

Rei also stood up, walking after him as Suzaku followed. They went to the garden and Suzaku noticed a tree. "A sakura tree?" He followed quietly as they walked past the tree. "We are here."

Hikaru looked at the single stone which had a carving on it.

' **In memory of Tsurara Alaina, a good sister and a good friend.'**

Below the stone, a photo of her, Hikaru and Rei along with their parents was placed.

The clock struck 12. Hikaru placed the pendant at the stone and spoke three words. Three powerful words.

"Happy Birthday, Tsurara."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Long chapter I think.**

 **As I said in the previous chapter, there are Hikaru x Cecile moments but the shipping is Hikaru x Rei, both of my OCs. And the truth about Hikaru's sister's death, along with Suzaku's trial and Zero's appearance will be revealed in the next chapter.**

 **A/N: I modified the prologue slightly, changing the parts where Tsurara is alive in the present to Rei, that's all. Only two small modifications OS changing the name.**

 **The appearance of the Lancelot is like in canon. The appearance of the Dragoon is as follows.**

 **Primarily black in colour with blue eyes and sharp teeth and claws, silver in colour which turn blue when the MVC is used. The face and the claws make the Dragoon look dangerous and make it resemble a dragon, hence the name. The Blaze Luminous is blue in colour.**

 **And H-01 is the name I have because it was commissioned a funded by Hikaru.**

 **And the Duke of Valdstein is a creation of mine, not in canon. Further information will be revealed in the coming chapters.**

 **And, it's compulsory to watch the anime series, all major episodes so that you can follow the parts I don't write, like this chapter where I didn't write Lelouch's side of the incident. In almost all chapters and battles, I will write Hikaru's side of the battles, the other battles where he is not involved will be like in canon.**

 **Read and review...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here I am, with the second chapter of Code Geass: Kakumei no Hikaru. Here, I will reveal the truth of Tsurara's death. And this chapter will also contain Suzaku's court martial, which was not shown in the anime, I think. The remaining parts will remain almost same as canon or I'll try to make them. It will also contain Euphemia's and Cornelia's entry. The last part will be a bit violent. Recommend to watch episodes of R1 for canon part. Without further ado, I present to you chapter 2.**

 **Code Geass: Kakumei no Hikaru**

 **Chapter 2**

 **The Truth, The Trial, The Two Princesses, The Party and the Execution**

"Happy Birthday, Tsurara."

Everything was quiet for a few moments.

Suzaku snapped out of his shock. "Oi… Hikaru! Tell me that I'm dreaming. Tell me that it's not true. There's no way that Tsurara is dead. She cannot be. She cannot be dead!"

"Shut up you jerk!" Rei snapped at him. "Can't you see how much this is hurting him?!"

Silent tears were running down his face as he looked at the gravestone and the picture. "Today was a lot of things, Tsurara. I got caught up in some terrorists' mess and went to Shinjuku ghetto in the back of a military truck. That was when Suzaku found me and Lelouch. We were separated due to an explosion but I was able to get the help of some Knights and met some friends of mine. I got the Knightmare I funded them to build. Then I found Suzaku there. Idiot got himself hurt. Then we fought together in Knightmares. That was very cool, you know. You should have seen it. My Knightmare, Dragoon, is so cool and powerful. I felt invincible when I piloted it. It was so different from that helpless feeling I felt when.. when you d-died. Oh sorry. What am I saying when we should be celebrating? Sorry for-"

He was interrupted as Rei wrapped her arms around him, comforting him. "It's alright, Hikaru. You don't have to hold it in. You can let go. I'm here for you. They are looking out for you. I'm sure of it. Just let go and show your true feelings for once. It's alright."

That was the breaking point as he started to sob, his body quivering as he cried, his sobs being the only thing heard on the silence of the night.

Rei hugged him as he continued to sob, not letting go of him.

He finally calmed down after some minutes and whispered, "I'm alright now, Rei." "Let me stay like this for a while." Suzaku looked on in silence as both of them stood up.

"How did it happen?"

"I'll tell you Suzaku. But not here. I don't want Tsurara's memory to be tainted by those bad memories and my hatred and anger. Let's go to the garage. We need to park our Knightmares there for the night."

 **10 minutes later**

"The Dragoon is beautiful, Hikaru."

"It was us who designed it together, Rei."

Hikaru then stepped down from the Dragoon's cockpit, Rei following him. Suzaku waited for them.

Hikaru sat down on a sofa at the garage, Rei next to him as Suzaku say opposite to him.

"It happened before the invasion."

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Hikaru walked towards a hill, holding Tsurara's hand. "Big brother, I'm tired."_

" _Just a bit more, Tsurara. If we go to the top of the hill, the military can take us back to the homeland." "Why are we going back?" "I want to play with Suzaku more." "I too. But Britannia will start a war with Japan and we'll be in danger. I heard the people talking about it." "War? What do you mean?" She asked, not understanding his words. "Daddy taught me this. He gave me the number for he friend in the military and I called him to evacuate us. He will meet us at that hill. It's almost night. Let's go. You can play with Rei there. Okay?"_

 _They continued to climb the hill. They reached the peak of the hill by nightfall and waited at a rock._

 _As they waited, the boy heard a drunken and slurred voice. "_ _Look captain, we got some Britannian brats here. They look rich."_

" _Kill them, Shimada!" "Hey wait, these are the guys that Munakata-san ordered us to kill! We'll have fun killing and we won't get punished for it! This is the best!"_ _The son of the Duke shifted in surprise, immediately moving in front of Tsurara._

" _Stop! We didn't do anything!"_ _Hikaru yelled as a group of men in uniform surrounded them and started to beat the two children. "_ _Please don't hurt her. Don't hurt my sister!"_ _Hikaru screamed in anguish._ _"This kid is shouting more when this bitch is hurt. Let's kill her painfully." "Let's do it!"_

 _Two of them pulled out a knife and one them stabbed Hikaru with the blade repeatedly, earning screams of pain. The second one took the knife and walked towards the girl, a sadistic glint in his eyes._ _"Good night, girl. You'll wish you had died a this is over."_

 _One of the plunged the knife into her, making her scream in pain. This continued for a few minutes as she was stabbed repeatedly. Her skin and dress were marred by her blood. She was crying and saying "Stop it. Please, it hurts! Stop it!"_

 _Hikaru was dragged over to her. "_ _It's goodnight for her, brat."_ _The men said sadistically as a knife was aimed above her heart. "_ _NO! STOP! Don't do it!"_ _He screamed as the knife was brought down and the light left her eyes, leaving them lifeless. "TSURARA!" He screamed madly._

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

"That's all I remember before I blacked out. When I woke up, Rei was next to me along with her father, my dad's friend. They said that the hill peak was burning in black-blue flames and I and Tsurara were face down on the ground. They didn't find anyone else. The knives were still lodged in our bodies. Tsurara died instantly after that last stab but I survived due to treatment. And I was alive while Tsurara died. Her body is in a grave next to my parents'. This gravestone here was built because she liked the sunrise here."

He was crying freely by now, only the three of them being left in the garage. He was being comforted by Rei. Suddenly, he was hugged by Suzaku. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." The Honorary Britannian muttered repeatedly as he hugged the blue haired boy.

"Stop it, Suzaku. It's not like you did it. So just stop blaming yourself for it."

"No! They were Japanese. I'm too. I have the blood of a Japanese running through me. I can't accept that."

"Stop, Suzaku. You know, when you were shot, your blood was infected. Maybe due to the wound being open to the surroundings. So, we had to pump out all of your blood. We essentially drained all of the blood in your body and replenished it with my blood. Meaning that the blood running through you is my blood and it's mixing with your own blood. So just accept it. The blood running through you now is MY blood. Can you accept that?"

A few minutes passed by in silence as Suzaku contemplated his words. "Yes. I can accept that, Hikaru. If it's my friend, I can accept it." He said quietly. "Good."

As they stood up to leave, he said, "Suzaku, I'm glad that it was you who found us in the truck today." "I'm glad that it was you who fought alongside me, Hikaru."

The blue haired teenager yawned as he nodded. "I'm going to sleep. Suzaku, you can sleep in one of the guest rooms on the second floor."

 **The next day**

Hikaru woke up late, Rei already awake. "Good morning. I already called Milly. You can just rest here today."

"Thanks Rei." He went back to sleep. Rei smiled as she looked at his sleeping face and kissed him before going out of the room.

'He seems to have calmed down. I need to cook something with chocolate for him. He'll be happy.' She smiled to herself and skipped down the stairs.

 **3 hours later**

"Hikaru, wake up! Quick!" Rei shouted, waking him up immediately.

"What happened?!" "The Viceroy's dead. And they arrested Suzaku." "What?!"

"They're announcing it in the news." He watched the news. He left the room in a hurry, showering quickly and said, "Rei, come with me. We're going to see Suzaku." "Right." He grabbed his keys and left for the Government Bureau, arriving there on record time.

 **5 minutes later**

Hikaru kicked the door open and went towards Suzaku. He was bound in a straitjacket and wounded too. "Jeremiah!" He growled. "Suzaku, what happened?" "I don't know. They just arrested me and brought me here, telling that I was the prime suspect in the Viceroy's murder." "They made you a scapegoat. Don't worry, Suzaku. I'll testify for you. They will know that crossing me is dangerous."

"What will you do?" He asked, scared slightly at his angry face. "Oh nothing. I'll just make them know that the Duke of Valdstein does not take it happily if his friend is made a scapegoat. That's all."

 **3 hours later**

Hikaru sat in the cockpit with Rei in his lap and watched as the procession took place. "Damned noble! Making this look like a public procession. They rigged the trial also, I feel." "Hikaru, ask them to make this a two seater cockpit. I want to pilot this Knightmare along with you." "I'll ask them."

 **2 hours later**

He looked as Suzaku entered the building. "Suzaku Kururugi, here for my court martial at 12:00 AM." He announced as he walked to the box. 'I knew that you would return, Suzaku. Zero's methods are wrong. That's why you returned. Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you.'

As the judge started the session, Hikaru watched the proceedings take place. The sessions continued for a few hours. Finally he stood up. "Hikaru Alaina, Duke of Valdstein, in favour of the accused."

He started to speak. "Your honour, I for fought alongside him in the Shinjuku incident. He followed my orders and fought against the terrorists. He was under my supervision after the Viceroy ordered the ceasefire. I testify that Suzaku Kururugi if innocent of the murder. As Zero has announced that he was the one who murdered our Viceroy and the accused returned even after being freed, it can be said safely they the accused is free of all suspicion. For further evidence, I request that the logs of the Dragoon and the Lancelot be checked along with the testimony of Earl Lloyd Asplund. That is all I have to say in my case." He said all this in a professional tone. "Duke Valdstein, how can we believe that the logs have not been hacked by the accused?" Margrave Gottwald asked, glaring at him. "I find it hard to believe you, **Orange**. You let Zero escape and even allowed it. And you suspect me. To suspect him is to suspect me and to suspect me is to suspect the Royal Family itself, for I serve the Royal Family. And rest assured, the logs of the Knightmares cannot be hacked by him. They can only be accessed by a special programme created by me and my team of researchers. And the accused does not have access to it." He finished ever so calmly, looking back at Gottwald coolly.

 **45 minutes later**

"Due to lack of conclusive evidence and presence of the testimonials in favour of the accused, the accused Suzaku Kururugi is declared innocent of all crimes and released." The judge declared.

 **15 minutes later**

Suzaku stepped out of the bureau, Hikaru a Rei waiting for him. He sighed tiredly. "Tired much?" Rei quipped playfully. "Yeah." Just as they were about to leave, a voice from above shouted. "Look out! Please move!"

"Huh?" A girl was falling from above. Suzaku caught her bridal style and almost lost his balance but steadied himself. Hikaru's eyes widened as he recognised the girl. 'Why is Euphemia here?' He communicated silently to Rei. 'Maybe Cornelia is the new Viceroy.' 'I guess.'

They looked on as she introduced herself as Euphie. "So inventive, Euphie." He grumbled sarcastically. "And these two ar-" "I know. Hikaru Alaina and his girlfriend Rei Zukari."

"We used to play with her when we were children, Suzaku. But that changed when we joined the army under Princess Cornelia's command." Rei elaborated.

As Euphie explained her fake situation to them, they showed her the sights of the city. "This is a double date." Rei said playfully, making Suzaku and Euphie blush at the implication. As Suzaku picked up a cat, he spoke to Euphie. "Is Cornelia the Viceroy?" He asked in a quiet tone, laughing as the car bit Suzaku while Rei petted him.

"Yes. She's here in the bureau. I escaped from the window because I wanted to see the city freely without any escort."

"Okay then. I won't inform her. But I think Lloyd, the maniac following us in the trailer, knows who you are. Anyway, you want to go to Shinjuku next?" "How did you know?" "You are like that, Euphie. You haven't changed since all that time." " You too. You haven't changed since that time." "No, Euphie. I have changed. I'm not the one I was anymore. But I want to stay the same in at least one way, I want to love Rei and protect her along with the others, for all the ones I wasn't able to protect." He said in a quiet tone. He didn't receive any reply.

 **30 minutes later**

"It's changed." Hikaru commented. "Is it true that the terrorists did this?" "Maybe, Rei. But the truth is that many innocents died and this place won't be the same ever again."

They looked at the memorials built for the dead as Suzaku and Euphie looked around the ghetto, separating from them. Rei held her hands in prayer and mourned for the dead. A sudden explosion caught their attention.

"What?!" 'That's the sound of a Sutherland's weapons.' Hikaru observed as he ran towards the trailer and took out the Dragoon, shouting, "Rei, stay here." Suzaku soon followed him in the Lancelot and they sped off.

" _Suzaku, the sound came from the old stadium."_

" _Alright."_

The two Knightmares accelerated as they moved towards the stadium. Hikaru launched his Slash Harkens into the walls, climbing up the walls. He took his claws and activated the MVC, firing a bolt of electricity at the attacking Sutherland.

" _Please stop this useless fighting."_ Suzaku announced, retracting his Slash Harken.

" _Who are you?" "Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon of Britannia and I believe I'm facing Kewell Soresi."_

" _The Black Dragon?! No matter what, all interlopers will die!"_

Suzaku pulled out his MVS, making Kewell gasp in shock. Hikaru jumped down, slashing with his claws, ripping the opponent Sutherlands into shreds, activating their ejection mechanisms.

Kewell pulled back along with his comrades, making Jeremiah shout. _"Are you accepting defeat, Kewell?!" "I'm using a_ _ **Chaos Mine**_ _."_

Suddenly, Euphie ran into the stadium. _"Shit! Euphie!"_ Hikaru moved before everyone, kicking his Knightmare into gear and getting before her and Suzaku.

He activated the Blaze Luminous and typed in the overdrive, setting the shield to wide range and using maximum energy. The grenade exploded and bullets rained down on the Knightmares. Hikaru grit his teeth as he shouted. _"Suzaku, protect Euphie!"_ The white Knightmare joined him, the green shield overlapping on the blue.

The barrage ended shortly, at the same moment, the Dragoon shut down. 'Just in time.' He exited the Knightmare and jumped down to Euphie.

"Are you alright, Euphie?!"

She nodded as her face turned serious.

"Everyone, I order you to stand down." "She's in 'Third Princess Mode' I guess." Hikaru commented playfully.

"As Third Princess Euphemia li Britannia, I order you to stop this fighting."

 **15 minutes later**

Hikaru looked on as Cornelia exited a jet, chiding Euphemia.

They all entered the jet on the Second Princess' order.

As they exited the jet, the Chief General of Britannia was greeted by some nobles and advisors of Clovis. "Your Highness, a welcome party has been prepared for y-"

"You insolent fools!" Cornelia shouted at the nobles. "I want information on Zero!"

The nobles flinched a they looked at her. "Hikaru, she hasn't changed, right?"

Hikaru only nodded as he went after the purple haired princess, following her Knights, Gilbert G.P. Guilford and Andreas Darlton, and her Royal Guard, the Glaston Knights.

"Your Highness, Hikaru Alaina and Rei Zukari, reporting for duty!" They kneeled down to her, as was customary. "Rise."

The two of them stood up and Hikaru was asked by Cornelia. "Hikaru, why did you testify for Kururugi?"

"Many reasons, Cornelia." He answered, forgetting the formality as was common between her and her personal forces.

"One, it was the right thing to do as if he was wrongly punished, your brother's killer will be running free.

Two, he is a capable soldier and pilot.

Three, if he was punished, the Purist Faction will take over the military here and will have a good excuse to abolish the Honorary Britannian system and also have a good excuse to hurt the Elevens, even if they are innocent. Even if the Honorary Britannians are not pilots, they make up a portion of the footsoldiers. By removing the system, we'd be destroying our own forces. That would be like showing weakness.

Four, if we put him as a scapegoat, we'll be admitting to the real killer that we cannot catch him and that would be like admitting weakness and showing weakness to the terrorists.

Five, he is my friend and his family harboured me and Tsurara and Lelouch and Nunnally."

He finished, giving his reasons for saving Suzaku.

"Will you be taking charge as Viceroy, Your Highness?"

"Yes. I trust that both of you are well, Hikaru, Rei. We'll begin cleaning up the terrorists starting tomorrow."

"I can't wait. My Dragoon is going to destroy them."

"Good."

 **30 minutes later**

"Also, Hikaru, Rei, I want you two to attend the party."

"Wait, what?!"

"You two will be attending the party. As my advisors, you will need to attend. And Euphie will be attending too. It would be good for her if someone she knows is attending."

Hikaru sighed in resignation. "Yes, Your Highness."

"And I want the information you collected on this area's terrorist groups and any information you have on Zero." "I have sent it to you, your Knights and the Glaston Knights as well. I also have it written in this file." He procured a thick file which Rei was holding. It contained various maps highlighting certain areas, photographs, papers filled with text upon text, with certain lines again highlighted in different colours and sound files in thin took a look at the file. "Good work, Hikaru. This contains large amounts of information." "I work to please, Guilford."

Cornelia commended him for his good work. "I also got some of the terrorists I caught in a holding facility that I had constructed. This information is partly from them. I kept them alive, of course." 'But all of them wish to be dead.'

"Good."

 **1 hour later**

"How do I look, Hikaru?" Rei asked, dressed in a blue cocktail dress with black at the end partitioned by a single blue line in the middle. "You look beautiful, Rei." "And you look handsome." He was dressed in a black suit with a blue dress shirt with a black collar and black pants and shoes, along with a blue tie with a black knot. The suit had dragon head shaped cufflinks and blue inner sleeves. He put his arm forward for her to take as they both stepped out of the room, ready for the party. They were met by the Glaston Knights, wearing suits with ties matching their hair. "You look stunning, Rei." David commented. "You guys too." Rei said as they went to the hall. "Where's Guilford?" Bart asked as he looked around.

He heard Hikaru comment about Guilford. "Seriously, that's overkill. He seriously needs to tone down on the black."

Guilford was dressed in all black, standing behind Cornelia. "And Cornelia too. Rei, remind me to get Cornelia, Guilford and Darlton to go shopping with Milly and Rivalz. They dress too formal for parties."

"Yeah right. Like Cornelia will ever agree to that." "I think Euphie would agree with me."

He suddenly jumped as Euphie's voice was heard behind him. "Agree about what?"

Both of them turned around to spot Euphie. She was dressed in a pink cocktail dress with black at the ends. "Euphie, you look beautiful." Rei commented while Hikaru said, "Don't scare me like that, Euphie." "Sorry."

They proceeded to enjoy the party, conversing with others, discussing plans with the Glaston Knights and dancing.

Hikaru danced with Rei and Euphie on their demand. He sat at a table next to Cornelia and Guilford. "Guilford, lighten up. This is a party, you know. I don't think anyone is going to atta-" A scream from Euphie interrupted him. 'Spoke too soon.'

"EUPHIE!" Cornelia shouted as a man holding a knife was holding her hostage, the knife pointed at her neck. "Quiet!" The man shouted, holding her tighter. Hikaru shook in anger as he looked at the man's face. The Glaston Knights slowly creeped up behind him. "If anyone tries anything, I'll kill her!" The man threatened, showing a bomb strapped to his chest. "Nobody move!" Hikaru ordered, moving forward slowly. His words were calm as he stepped forward. _"What are your demands?"_ "I can speak your language, Britannian!" The man spat. 'I can't make any plans. Unless.. wait, I can still do that.'

"What are your demands?" "I want you scum to get out of our country! Get out of our Japan, you Britannian scum!"

"If we refuse?" "I'll kill her here and now." The girl in question stiffened. Hikaru motioned to Rei and David. They understood the plan as he walked forward.

He started to laugh. "Why are you laughing?!" "If we don't leave, you'll kill her? Go on. Kill her then. But if you kill her, there's nothing stopping us from killing you. After all, she's no use to you dead, right, Eleven?" "I'm Japanese you bastard!" He continued walking towards the two. The man started panicking. "Stop! Don't come near me!" The man shouted as Hikaru continued to walk towards him, almost reaching towards them. The man removed the knife from Euphie's neck and pointed it towards him in panic. "Caught you!" Hikaru suddenly moved and appeared before the man. The twist of an arm sounded add Hikaru twisted the man's arm. "Now, David, Rei." The two immediately moved, David taking the man's other arm and twisting it, freeing Euphie, who was taken to safety by Rei. He twisted it even further, breaking the arm and making him drop the knife.

"Stop, David. If this guy suffers, it'll be due to me alone." The red haired teen was surprised at his tone and nodded, releasing the man. "Bart, call someone to get this guy imprisoned. And tell them to transport him with extreme care. If he is hurt, then I'll kill the one responsible." His cold tone made the blue haired teen nod, taking the man to a holding cell.

Hikaru looked at him for a second before turning to Euphie. She was being searched for any injuries by Cornelia, who hugged her upon realizing that she was safe.

"Guilford, take the Princesses to their room. Darlton and the Glaston Knights, please escort the attendees to their vehicles or get them a transport. I think the party is over now and everyone should get some rest." The soldiers did as he asked. All the people were slowly led out of the hall and everything was cleaned, the knife still held by Hikaru. Rei looked at him as gripped the knife tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Hikaru, are you alright?" She reached out to his shoulder.

"Rei, I know that man."

"What?"

"That man… I can recognize him from anywhere. He was the one who stabbed Tsurara in the heart. He was the one who killed Tsurara."

Rei looked scared as his voice carried a dangerous tone to it and his eyes were cold.

 **30 minutes later**

"Hikaru, what was that back then? You weren't defending him, were you?" Bart asked, leaning on a wall, arms crossed. The other Glaston Knights were in similar positions. All of them were in uniform. Rei wore a similar uniform, but coloured black with the insignia of a dragon head on the back. Hikaru wore pure black clothes and was holding a sharp-looking knife in his hands.

The aforementioned teenager was leaning on a wall, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Rei was next to him, looking at him. "Rei, call Suzaku, will you? Tell him to come to this room." He said, ignoring Bart.

"Answer my question, damn it." A punch on the wall was a reply, making them all wince as they noticed the crack in the wall.

Cornelia, Guilford and Darlton entered the room, in uniform as well. Euphie followed them. "Euphie, I told you not to come." "Sister, please let me stay. I am about to be the Sub-Viceroy of Area 11. I need to stay, at least as the Sub-Viceroy."

Cornelia tried to argue, only to be faced with her defiance. She sighed in resignation. "Fine."

"Viceroy, let me interrogate him."

"I object, Your Highness." Bart said. All eyes turned to him. "At the party, he ordered me to bring this man to the holding cell, but he expressly forbade hurting him in any way, even threatening to kill anyone who hurt him. That, to me, is almost like defending him. I cannot accept him interrogating that man until I receive a proper explanation for his behaviour and his words during the party. And he also endangered Princess Euphemia's life in his reckless actions of tackling that man."

A knock on the door interrupted them. "Come in, Suzaku." The door opened and closed quickly, Suzaku coming in, clad in his uniform.

"Why is he here?" Guilford asked, surprised at his entry.

"I asked him to come here." Hikaru stated.

Bart then snapped at him. "Okay seriously, we need answers. He endangered Princess Euphemia's life and probably everyone's lives and then after apprehending the man, he gave orders expressly forbidding hurting him and threatened to kill anyone who hurt him. And now he called a Honorary Britannian with no relation to the case at hand into the interrogation room. What are you doing, Hikaru? We need answers for your actions. Tell us why you are doi-" "SHUT UP FOR ONE SECOND, BART!" Hikaru shouted, losing his cool. Another crack appeared in the wall.

All of them were scared to silence by his tone. "I'm trying to think! And I can't keep my calm with you shooting questions at me. You want answers?! I don't care! Go on! Try and interrogate him. If you are able to get at least a third of what I provided, then I will leave the place and you will not hear from me for the rest of your goddamn life. And enjoy piloting the Dragoon and my old Knightmare Frames." He snapped at them, his tone losing any trace of calmness and filled with anger.

"Calm down, Hikaru." Rei said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Just calm down." "Calm down, Hikaru." Suzaku said. "You can't get anything by acting on your anger. Calm down and explain everything slowly." He calmed down finally after some time. "I'm alright now. Thanks."

He then faced the others and bowed. "I'm sorry for all my words earlier! I was acting on my anger and wasn't thinking clearly. I sincerely apologise for my earlier actions."

Few moments later, he heard Bart apologise too. "I'm sorry. I too was not thinking clearly and made you uncomfortable with all my questions."

Cornelia's words cut through them. "Okay. Now that all of you have calmed down, I will ask. What was your intention when you ordered them to not hurt the man inside?"

"I will explain. I think all of you should know this. What I'm about to reveal to you should not reach anyone's ears. I trust you can do that." Understanding what he was going to reveal, Rei held his hand for comforting him.

"What do you know about my family?"

"Your father was the Duke of Valdstein, and very influential in the military. He was powerful enough to have become the Prime Minister if Prince Schneizel was not. Your mother was named Setsuna, I think." Claudio answered.

"Yes. But what do you know about their deaths?"

"It was said that they were killed in an accident, you and your sister were the only survivors in that accident. There was an explosion in your mansion and only you and your sister survived, everyone in the mansion, the servants and guards, and your parents had died in that explosion." Edgar said.

"But that's not what happened." He told them what happened that night, including how he was shot and how he had miraculously survived.

"You mean to say that they were murdered and it was covered up as an accident?" "Yes, Alfred. I think that the culprit did that to cover his tracks."

"Why are you telling us this?" "I wanted you guys to know." "Okay."

"And my sister? Do you know what happened to her?"

"No. Nothing was ever in the news about her. And we know for a fact that she didn't call you, because you were busy most of the time and we had to call you when someone called for you. So, what happened to her?" David explained. "And you only told us about her and showed us an old photo of her when we asked."

"She died." Hikaru said as bluntly as possible. A round of gasps were heard. "Cornelia, Euphie, Guilford and Darlton know this. They saw her grave and also visited her grave on her birthday, which is today, and on her death anniversary. The reason they disappeared the moment they arrived in Area 11 was because they were visiting Tsurara's grave that was here in my house."

"How did she die?" Bart questioned.

Hikaru recounted that horrific experience to them. By the end, Euphie was crying, sobbing into Cornelia's shoulder, as Cornelia cried silently, seething with rage. Almost all of them were seething with rage.

"If it was a Japanese who killed her, why are you defending one?"

"Because… that man in there is Shimada, the one who stabbed her in the heart. He's the one who killed Tsurara."

"That does it!" David shouted, stomping towards the door, ready to beat up the prisoner inside to death.

A strong arm stopped him. "Stop, David."

"Why are you stopping me? You should be wanting to kill him, goddammit! Why are you defending that son of a bitch when he deserves to die?!"

"He deserves to suffer!"

His words brought him out of his anger as Hikaru continued. "All those prisoners I kept in the holding facility I told you about, I interrogated them by torturing them. They were screaming each time I interrogated them. And why? Because they called themselves Japanese! That bastard in there deserves to suffer! Tsurara suffered because of him! That's why I'll make him suffer! That's what I meant! No one should hurt him! I want him to remember all the pain he will go through because of me."

Hikaru finished, eyeing both David and Suzaku, who was also about to move. "Hikaru, you mean to say that Tsurara died because of him?"

"Yes, Cornelia."

"Then, you can go ahead and interrogate him. I don't care even if you don't get any information out of him. You can use whatever methods you feel you require. Do whatever you please."

"Thank you. Viceroy." His tone was cold and serious. "Take Euphie out of here. She doesn't need to see this."

"But-"

"Euphie! Please leave."

He went to the door and opened it, locking it after going in. He also carried a single knife with him. He went towards the man, bound to the chair with chains.

Cornelia turned the speaker on as Suzaku led Euphie out of the room.

"Tell me. From which group are you?"

"Damn you, Britannian scum. I will not tell you anthi-"

A pained scream interrupted his words as Hikaru stabbed the man's wrist. "I'll stab you again and again until you give me what I need."

The ones listening winced as they heard the man's scream. "From which group are you?"

No answer. Another scream.

"I'll ask once again. From which group are you?" No answer. Another scream.

The knife pierced the wrist again, going deeply as Hikaru put more force into the stab, making the terrorist scream loudly.

"The JLF!" The man screamed in agony. "I am from the JLF!"

"How many are in your squad?"

Another scream was heard as Hikaru took out the knife, stabbing him again in his wrist, piercing the skin from the other side and the blade stuck out of the skin on the other side from the force. "How many are in your squad?" Another stab in the wrist was enough for him to spill the beans. "6!" He shouted.

Like that, Hikaru continued interrogating *Read 'torturing'* him until he spilled everything he knew, which was all being recorded.

By the time he was done, the man's fingers were broken and cut off, along with his toes. His wrists and ankles were pierced through with a knife. The man's knees, elbows and other joints were dislocated and broken, making them unusable. The man's skin had long gashes in his arms and legs, made down the length by a knife. The man's cheeks were also pierced through and his nose was also broken and disfigured. His face was bloody as his eyes were also gouged out.

"Is that all the information you have?" "Y-YES! DON'T HURT ME ANY MORE!"

"Now I want to ask you one more question." Hikaru said, stabbing into his chest and dragging it into his stomach.

"A.t.b 2010 June 6th… Night… At the hill near Kururugi Shrine, do you remember what you did? You tortured two children because they were Britannian and killed one of them. You tortured and killed the girl in order to make the boy suffer, did you not?" Hikaru asked the question, the knife digging into the man's skin as he stabbed the man and removed it, only to stab the man at another place.

"What are you talking about?" The man's voice was low and couldn't be heard easily. "I don't remember doing such a thing."

The knife was suddenly removed painfully and stabbed again and again into his body, making the man scream from the pain. "NO! PLEASE STOP! I DON'T REMEMBER DOING IT! PLEASE STOP!" The knife was stopped as he sighed in relief. The man's hair was gripped painfully and brought up. The man shouted painfully.

"You don't remember it? Then… I'll stop this." Suddenly, the man's ears were cut off and his arms and legs were separated from his torso. A loud scream echoed in their ears as Hikaru's cold voice cut through it. "Then you don't deserve tainting Tsurara's memory." The scream was cut off as the knife was lodged in the the suffering man's neck and dragged violently, decapacitating the man and the knife was brought diagonally to the heart and slashed through, destroying the heart. The knife was moved again, carving some words into the man's corpse.

The blood sprayed on the walls and him and his clothes, the red being seen clearly even on the black colour.

Hikaru kicked the door open, throwing it down to the ground, off its hinges.

"I want the corpse and all parts packed in a box along with a copy of the video that was recorded."

His voice was cold as he walked out of the room, stopping Rei from following him.

A retching noise was heard as Edgar walked into the room, followed by the other Glaston Knights and the other occupants of the room.

Suzaku looked at the words carved into the torso of the corpse.

"What did he write?" David asked, not understanding the kanji.

"It's Japanese, right?" Edgar asked as he looked at the words.

"Rei, please translate the words." Claudio asked.

Before she could understand the words, Cornelia interrupted. "Kururugi, you seem to know the words well. What do they mean?"

Suzaku paled as he looked at the words. He gulped before answering.

" **Shimada is dead as you can see. I've sent the video too. You can watch it. That will be the way you will suffer and die.**

 **Hayama, Yamada, Miura, Saito, Kobayashi you're next. Stay alive until I kill you.**

 **And, Munakata Suzuki, live every day from now counting each and every moment. I will find you and that day, you will see the Shinigami who will make you suffer and break you and only then will you die.**

 **Live every day in fear, all those who made HER suffer. The day that you come before me will be your last day ever."**

Suzaku read the message and paled. 'He is serious about it.'

"Have someone pack everything exactly as it is in a big box. And send it to the place that the JLF has as their pickup point." Cornelia ordered, the foul stench making her almost puke.

"You heard her." Darlton said grimly.

 **30 minutes later**

Rei found Hikaru in the training room. He was wearing track pants and a muscle shirt. He was standing before a punching bag. The others were there with her, watching him as he started. He punched, making the sandbag jerk back from the force. He continued to hit the bag again and again in anger. He was also talking to himself but they were able to hear him as he was almost shouting. "How dare he? How dare he forget? How dare he forget it?" The bag tore open and he hung another one. "Was she so insignificant? Was she so insignificant to not even be remembered? Was she so insignificant to not even remember that they killed her? That they tortured her? Was it so insignificant?" The torn sandbags piled up on the floor as he continued to punch, taking out his anger on them. "Was all the suffering she was put through so insignificant that it was not even worth remembering? Was my rage insignificant? Was my hatred that weak that they didn't even remember? Was the despair I felt useless? Was the loneliness I felt not enough? Was it not enough? Was my sister's death so insignificant that she was not even remembered?! DAMN IIIIITTTT!" He screamed , punching the bags with rage, tearing open the bags with each punch until everything was in pieces. He then kicked the bags, stomping them with anger until he dropped suddenly, falling onto the sand around him.

 **3 days later**

Hikaru sat in the Dragoon, the box in its claws. He accelerated, moving fast enough to disappear and then dropped the box at the base of the mountain near a tree with a note marked 'To Kenji Yamamoto'

The Knightmare disappeared as quick as it appeared, leaving only dust in its wake.

 **3 hours later**

Hikaru sat on the Dragoon's arm in the garage, back home in the Tokyo Settlement.

"They will have taken the package by now." Hikaru said in a cold voice as he looked at the rest of the group.

"Cornelia, about my request?"

"I transferred Kururugi to your command."

"Thanks. But Euphie is making him attend school at Ashford Academy. So he won't have that much work."

A few moments passed as Rei asked, "Hikaru, about modifying the Dragoon…"

"No Rei. I've changed my mind. You will pilot another Knightmare. I will be piloting the Dragoon alone."

"But why?" She whined as Hikaru answered. "You saw in the simulator. It's difficult to fight like that, for me. So, sorry, but no."

"Jerk! You promised me that-" "I said that I'll ask them based on the simulator." He cut in and jumped down from the Knightmare, seemingly unhurt even from jumping a distance.

"Yo Hikaru! You wanna spar?!" David called after him.

"You should accept. I want to see the Dragoon's capabilities in battle." Cornelia said.

"It's better for you too. You seem stressed out after that interrogation 3 days ago. It's better to blow off some steam." Guilford suggested.

"Ah fine! Because it's been some time since we sparred and I want to beat up you guys again, along with blowing off some steam."

"But I have a condition, Cornelia."

"What is it?"

"You will come with me to some places I am going to take you and the group and you shouldn't refuse, no matter what. And you should stay there till Euphie leaves."

"Okay. Accepted." Rei smirked. "Hikaru, you better not lose."

"Don't lose, boys." Darlton said. David shouted at Rei, "Hey weren't you angry at him for refusing your request?"

"He's my boyfriend. I need to cheer him on." 'He has only recovered from that fever yesterday. At least he's not acting on rage now. And that condition, it was something he made playfully and I know that he was laughing. So at least he is not sad.'

They went to the big elevator at the back of the garage. The Knightmares were brought down to the extremely big arena below the garage.

"Cool!" David shouted as he looked at the big arena. "I know I said it befor but you are rich, Hikaru." "My father's industries are extremely successful and the workers don't ever do any wrong because they're happy with their jobs and their pay. And my assistant is a capable person. And I don't wreck my custom Knightmares much like 5 people I will not mention." The Glaston Knights bowed their heads low as he continued. "And the research I invest in is very successful and useful, which makes it extremely useful for me financially. And mine and Rei's pay is high. That combined with the money I win sometimes during the matches I play, is extremely helpful."

Cornelia looked at the arena, impressed with the whole arrangement.

"5 vs 1 it is, as usual."

"Really, you guys need to stop being so… annoying."

Hikaru entered the Dragoon and started the systems as the Glaston Knights did the same, starting their Gloucesters.

Rei walked forward and stood in the middle of the field.

"Battle Start!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 **And that's a wrap! Finished with Chapter 2 faster than expected. Anyway, I'll upload it and get it over with. I will start Chapter 3 as soon as possible. In the interrogation part, Hikaru was being cruel because 1) the guy killed his sister, the person who's very precious to him and 2) he's a terrorist the moment he threatened Euphemia and everyone else, he does not show mercy to terrorists. The reason he was cruel when he carved the words into Shimada's torso was because he was angry that they had forgotten that they had killed his sister, while he tried his hardest to not forget their faces and his hatred and rage.**

 **The future chapters will contain more violence when Hikaru catches the people in the message he carved. And none of them are canon characters. They are people he will capture in the coming chapters.**

 **Next chapter, Hikaru vs The Glaston Knights, The Cat Festival and Shopping with Milly**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here is Chapter 3. This chapter will contain the duel, the cat festival, and the entry of the Glinda Knights, from Code Geass: Oz the Reflection, along with the mop up of some terrorist and resistance groups in the area. I will add Lake Kawaguchi next chapter due to change of plans.**

 **duked: Thanks for the review, 'duked'. I am happy that you like this fanfic. I will try to update as frequently as I can but I will not able to do it these months, January, February and March, as I have my exams. I'll try to update as frequently as I can for good guys like you. And about your question, I want Cornelia to be a disciplined and able commander in battle and I don't think I'll be able to portray her as a girl falling for someone, especially someone younger than her and below her in the command chain. I may pair her with Guilford but I can't say for sure. Suzaku will be with Euphemia. Also, Hikaru is paired with Rei, another OC. And I'm thinking about Rai. I want to give him some character development if I add him in the mix and I also want to give him a different Knightmare if he joins either side, instead of the Lancelot Club and the Pre-Production Gekka. So, I'll think about him. I already have some plans for Narita so he won't appear in the near future.**

 **A/N: As you have seen, I will answer to any questions you have in the reviews. If you think a part is bad or could be improved, tell me. I'll try to change it.**

 **Chapter 3**

 **1 vs 5, The Announcement, Glinda Knights**

"Battle start!"

The five purple Knightmares moved at once, golden lances in hand. _"Eager to get your ass kicked, are we?" "This won't be like last time!"_

"Doesn't David say that every time they battle him?" Guilford observed with a sweat drop. "Let him have his fun, Gil." Darlton said. "Maybe he might win this time." "No, Hikaru will win." Cornelia said as she observed the battle. "Why, sister?" Euphie asked as Hikaru dodged and parried the blows from the lances, moving back each time. She noticed Claudio moving back and going around him, moving behind Hikaru's Knightmare. She gasped as the Gloucester charged, attacking him from behind the same time the four attacked from the front and sides. As Hikaru was surrounded, he laughed, the speakers carrying his voice. _"Time to throw off the kiddy gloves."_ He cracked his knuckles as the purple Knightmares drew closer and input some commands into the console and accelerated his Knightmare, the Landspinners spinning into gear and the black dragon launched forward. The claws turned blue as the Knightmare launched its Slash Harkens, the projectiles blocking two lances. The two golden **Jousting Lances** were knocked off their trajectory and the Gloucesters slid past him harmlessly. The other two lances were blocked by the claws and thrown back. Claudio's Knightmare hit the Dragoon, only for a blue shield to block the hit.

" _What?!" "Tsk.. Tsk.. you're forgetting the Blade Luminous, Claudio."_ The son of Darlton gritted his teeth as the Dragoon moved, slashing at the Gloucesters. David shouted as his frame was slashed, the claws digging into the armour of the machine and into the arm. _"What the?! What the hell is this?!" "Mine and Rei's customised MVCs. They are stronger, sharper and more dangerous." "No matter. David, hold him there."_

" _Really, Edgar, you wound me."_ Hikaru said playfully, making Suzaku, Rei, Euphie and Cornelia laugh along with Guilford and Darlton. _"Am I so stupid to fall for that?"_

The claws of the Dragoon crackled with electricity and he moved the arms, making the claws move upwards through the Gloucester's arms and shredding them to pieces. The arms were still stuck in the blue claws and Hikaru moved the shredded arms, blocking the lance and freeing its claws. _"Thanks for that, Ed." "This is the end!"_ Bart's voice was heard as the Knightmare accelerated and used the Slash Harken to accelerate further, multiplying the destructive force of the lance. _"For you, Bart."_ The Slash Harkens were dug into the ground. The claws crackled with electricity. David shouted in surprise as another set of Slash Harkens shot into the walls. _"That thing has four Slash Harkens?!"_ The Knightmare pulled back, anchored to the ground and walls. "Is he going to…" Suzaku trailed off as the Dragoon catapulted, moving at an extremely dangerous speed. The two Knightmares collided in an explosion of dust. Once the dust cleared, Rei giggled. 'Cornelia is going to request that Milly be locked up somewhere after tomorrow.' Bart's Knightmare was in shreds, the cockpit being the only thing left intact as the Dragoon dashed towards David's unit. The disarmed Gloucester tried to pull the Dragoon into a pincer trap, only for the Dragoon's black Slash Harkens to hit the two pursuing Knightmares and stun them momentarily. David's frame was defenseless as Hikaru slashed at the Knightmare and reduced it into shreds. 'Two down, three to go.' Guilford winced as he watched the two frames or what remained of them. "He does know that he's fighting people on his own side, right?" "Let him be, Guilford. He's doing what he likes. At least he's not like he was 3 days ago." Cornelia said, unnerved at the memory of 3 days ago and at his battle proficiency.

"I wonder why he wasn't inducted into the Knights of the Round."

"He rejected it."

"What?!" "He was offered a position in the Rounds. But he rejected it."

"Is he mad? He could have easily apprehended his parents' murderer if he had the authority of a Round."

"He's not power hungry. He craves power, that is true, but he wants power to protect those he wants to, for the sake of all that he couldn't protect. Besides, I asked him the same question. You know what he told me?"

XXXXXXXXXX

 _Hikaru and Guilford sat in a room, only the two of them occupying the sofas in the room. Both of them were sprawled on the leather._

 _Hikaru sighed. "She really ran us dry this time."_

" _Hikaru, why did you reject the offer to become a Round?"_

" _It's because I felt that-" "The real reason."_

 _He answered after a few moments, carefully considering his answer._

" _You know what happened to the 11th prince, Lelouch vs Britannia after Empress Marianne's murder? You were there right? Along with Princess Cornelia?"_

" _He was exiled along with his sister."_

" _Yes. And I can't respect that. And I can't swear my loyalty to someone like that, someone who uses his children like political tools."_

" _That's harsh."_

" _But if her highness asked me to, I'd be ready to kill or be killed. I respect her and Euphie the most out of the Imperial Family."_

" _You mean that you respect the Princess Cornelia and Princess Euphemia more than the others?"_

" _Yeah. If either one of them told me to be their Knight, I would accept. But I wouldn't accept the offer if it came from the Emperor, even if it meant becoming the Knight of One."_

" _I see."_

XXXXXXXXXX

"He respects us that much?" Euphie asked as she momentarily moved her eyes away from the duel. "Yes. I could see in his eyes that he was telling the truth."

" _Alfred, Edgar, you're next."_ Hikaru's Dragoon moved again, the claws turning blue as he struck, cutting lances and making them blunt.

"He has improved." Cornelia commented. "Usually, he'd take more time to disable them but now he's doing it in far less time."

The Black Dragon danced around the two frames, using the Slash Harkens to round them up and moving around.

Edgar tried to strike, only for the claws to strike and grab the lance and the arm, piercing clearly through the arm. Electricity crackled around the claws as the arm was torn off, followed by Alfred getting the same treatment. Two Slash Harkens blocked a strike from a lance from Claudio.

" _You're going to get to dance too, Claudio."_ The two Knightmares were struck by Slash Harkens and moved back, only for bullets to hit them. Electrified claws struck them again, dismembering them and shredding the limbs to pieces. Claudio gulped as the Dragoon faced his Gloucester. 'Oh shit!'

He could only try to block with his Jousting Lance as the claws of the Draggon crackled with electricity, the claws cutting through the lance and the arm wielding it.

Having lost the main weapon, the Gloucester moved to put some distance between them, only for the Dragoon to follow him. _"Hey why are running away? It's not like I'm scary. I'm just following you, right?"_ Guilford stifled a laugh at his words. "Not scary? Right. That guy is scary when he battles extremely seriously."

"That Knightmare of his is extremely scary." Euphie commented as she looked at the draconic machine. "I think I'm going to have nightmares just looking at it battling."

"Don't worry, Euphie. I don't think he is going to scare you."

They watched as Claudio's Gloucester was shredded to pieces, making Darlton sigh. "And there he goes again, destroying five frames in just a spar."

"That's the end!" Cornelia declared as all six of them exited their machines or five exited the cockpits and one the Knightmare.

All of them walked up to the spectators and Hikaru said, "Cornelia, now you're going to accept the condition."

In a sing song voice, Rei said, "Oh Euphie, we're going to Ashford Academy and then we're going shopping for Cornelia and the others." Cornelia gasped at that dreaded word. "You're coming too, right?"

"Wait! I didn't agree to this."

"Tsk tsk… Cornelia, the condition."

Euphie beamed as she heard the word 'shopping' and almost squealed.

"Of course, you're going to be wearing disguises. Can't have the students and reporters swarm you wherever you go."

"I regret agreeing to this deal." Cornelia's muttering made Rei giggle.

 **2 days later**

'I sent Milly a message so Lelouch and Nunnally will not be there. I can't take the risk of them being discovered. But, really, they're celebrating for a cat? That Milly knows no bounds.'

He sat in the living room, watching TV, along with the Glaston Knights. All five of them were dressed in fashionable clothes. Consisting of a pair of jeans and T-Shirts along with caps. Hikaru was wearing his casual clothes and they looked up to see Guilford and Darlton coming down the stairs, dressed in.. The owner of the mansion groaned. "You two aren't going to a party. Get changed." "But these are casual." Darlton argued.

"David, get these two and give them my clothes or something. I have some big ones as well for such occasions."

"Alright." The five Glaston Knights dragged the two Knights back up, getting ready to give them a complete makeover.

Suzaku came down a few minutes later, wearing a pair of jeans and a white T-Shirt along with a hoodie and a cap. "At least someone knows to dress incognito." Hikaru mumbled, making the brunette laugh.

Rei was dressed in a skirt and sleeveless top, along with a hoodie and thigh high socks and blue shoes, her teal hair covered by a cap, shadowing her bluish yellow eyes.

Euphie was dressed in the same outfit she wore when she met the three of them.

Cornelia stepped down reluctantly, wearing a pair of jeans and a white top along with a hoodie and cap.

Guilford stepped into the living room, wearing similar clothing to Hikaru's.

"Darlton is not coming." The Spearhead of the Empire informed.

 **30 minutes later**

All of them stepped out of the two cars and parked them somewhere near the back entrance. They went to the Student Council clubhouse and Hikaru opened the door, while David looked at the festival, looking around at the various stalls. "Hey Hikaru, what is this festival for?"

"Yes, now that I noticed, what is this festival for? What are they celebrating?"

"They got a new pet." His answer made their jaws drop.

"A what?"

"Milly told me that they are celebrating the Student Council's new pet , Arthur."

"You mean that cat we found that day?" Euphie asked excitedly. "Yeah."

He knocked on the door. He received an "Enter!" from Milly and opened the door.

"Huh?" The members of the Student Council were in cat costumes, Milly wearing black cat paws. She waved a paw at him. "Good meow-ing."

'Why am I not surprised?'

"Good morning, Prez!" Rei said excitedly, walking over to the rack to pick out an outfit for herself.

"What is this?" Cornelia asked, confused at what was happening. Her Knight and Royal Guard were the same.

Hikaru didn't answer and looked at the room. 'Lelouch and Nunnally are not here. That's good.'

"Hey, who's the new girl?" Hikaru asked, looking at the redhead. 'She's acting like she is sickly but I can tell that's fake. And knowing Milly, she knows but she is keeping it a secret from the others.'

An orangette with yellowish green eyes bounced over to them. "She's Kallen Stadtfeld, a new member." She looked at the group behind him.

"Who are your friends?"

He introduced each of them, using their first names and shortening Cornelia's name to Cora and Euphemia's name to Euphie.

"And these are my fellow Student Council members, Milly Ashford, Rivalz Cardemonde, Shirley Fenette, Kallen Stadtfeld and Nina Einstein."

He was suddenly interrupted by a white paw to the face. "Hikaru, how do I look?"

Rei was wearing cat ears and paws, coloured white. "Like a cat." He answered sarcastically.

Without him noticing, Milly was behind him. "And now it's your turn." She tried to put a pair of cat ears on him, the only problem being that he was not found anywhere.

"Where did he go?" Euphie asked, looking at herself in the mirror, mewing like a cat with black paws on her hands.

Hikaru was standing behind the Glaston Knights and Guilford. "Don't move." He whispered.

Milly looked around for a few seconds before spotting a glimpse of blue behind David.

"You! Red hair! I know he is standing behind you!" 'Shit!'

Hikaru dashed towards the door, only to stop as Shirley and Rivalz barricaded the door. "Not you guys too." He dashed towards another exit. Rei and Suaku stopped him. "Suzaku, Rei, you traitors!"

'No exits, goddammit!'

He then jumped out of the window.

"Aw, he escaped." Rei said sadly.

"He can't run for long, not with the entire school after him."

She turned on the intercom. "This is your President, Milly Ashford, everybody. Man hunt! Catch Hikaru Alaina of the student council and bring her to me, to me, to me."

"He's wearing a pair of blue jeans, a black T-Shirt and shoes along with a black hoodie. And he just jumped out of the the clubhouse." Rei added.

"The one who catches him will get a kiss from one of the Student Council members and will have their entire schedule free for one week." Milly added for further incentive.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru gulped as he heard the announcement. 'If they catch me, then I'm finished. And Rei won't forgive me if someone chooses her to kiss.'

He started to sneak around the wall, only to step on a can, cursing as the students were alerted. He started to run, jumping over this hedges and fences in the big garden. "Why the hell is this garden so big?!"

He heard neighing from behind him.

He slid down and ducked under two hedges.

" _He's hiding under the hedges. Get him."_ "MILLY!" He shouted, jumping into the thick trees. He backed up to get a running start.

"Where's he?" Euphie wondered as she searched for him as it was fun for her. The Glaston Knights were searching along with her. A shadow appeared above them, making them look up in wonder as the target jumped from a tree to land behind them. "There he is!" Euphie shouted as the six of them ran after him. "Why the hell are you in this?!" "Princess' orders." David cut him off. "Get out of my way. I'm not going to be dressed as a goddamned cat!" He jumped, kicking the red haired boy in the arm and escaping from them, making Euphie pout. "Mou, he ran away again."

XXXXXXXXXX

In a hallway, Kallen was running, stopping as she noticed two students. "A kiss from the Student Council members? I will not give my kiss to someone I don't even know because he caught someone I met only today." She then bumped into the person in question. "Oh sorry. I didn't notice you…" He trailed off as he looked at Kallen. He looked at her and held out a hand for her to take. "Sorry." "Wait. Shouldn't you be running away? I can just easily catch you."

"Hmm… Because you have to act like you're sick, there's no way that you can catch me, especially when I am athletic enough to jump from a tree to the building."

"How did you know?" "I know when someone is acting and I won't ask why."

He let go of her hand and said, "But if you want to catch me, I am going to run and then you can't catch me, even if you drop your façade." His challenging smirk closed the deal as she shook her head, saying, "I think the classrooms will be empty by now. You can hide in a classroom." "Good idea. I think I'll hide in my old class."

She followed him as he walked towards her class. "You're from the same class?"

"I was. I already told Milly and the Headmaster about it. Both Rei and I are going to quit the school. Our duties are going to make us too busy. And if the terrorists managed to find out about me continuing to go to this place, they may target this place. I don't want anyone here to be hurt due to me, that's all." He said as he went to sit in his seat at the window.

"Today's the last day I'll be here as Hikaru Alaina, Student Council member. From tomorrow, whenever I come here, it's going to be as Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon of Britannia, the Duke of Valdstein."

She tried to make something of his words. 'Wait, Black Dragon?' "WHAT?! You're the famed Black Dragon of Britannia?!" He instantly covered his ears. "Yes, I am. Don't shout. Presently, only Milly and Suzaku know about it, apart from Rei. And from tomorrow, I'll start with taking down terrorists. No matter who they are or how many they may be. I will destroy anyone who comes in my way."

'He's dangerous. I should try to kill him now before he becomes a threat.'

As she pulled out her switchblade, he leaned back on his chair, taking out a knife, playing with it and twirling it expertly.

"He's here guys!" Suzaku's voice came as he stood at the door.

"Damn it!" He looked at the door, only to find all the exits blocked by Suzaku, Rei, Rivalz, Euphie and the Glaston Knights.

"Oh shit!" "There. Now, you can't jump from the second floor, right?" Euphie asked, panting. "Was that meant to be rhetorical, Euphie?" "Yes. Why?" "Because I was about to answer 'Yes!' when you asked me because I will NOT be dressed as a cat. I'm the Black Dragon of Britannia, not the Cat of Britannia!" Saying that, he jumped straight out of the window, falling two stories down and rolled, coming to a stop and getting up. "Can you jump down from the second floor?" Hikaru asked in a mocking tone, dusting himself off and walking back, hands in his pockets. "Sorry Hikaru, but it's the Princess' order." Guilford said apolitically as he caught the younger soldier in a hold. "Guilford?!" "Princess Cornelia ordered me to get this whole thing over with while she looked around." "What?! But there's no way I will sit down quietly and be dressed as a freaking cat!" "She told me to restrain Milly Ashford while you announce that you and Rei are leaving the academy."

"I see. Fine then."

They headed to the clubhouse where Milly, Shirley and Cornelia were sitting, Milly looking at the camera feed to find her target. "Ho ho… Finally accepted your defeat?" "No Milly. I think it's time to announce it."

Her demeanour changed as she realised what he meant. "It's time huh? Fine then. You should do it." "Thanks, Prez." "Hey wait, what are you talking about? What is he going to announce?"

"Shirley, search my name on the net. Just do it, don't ask anything." Confused by the request, the orangette did as asked and gasped not a second later.

She looked at him and back at the screen. "You're the Black Dragon?!" She all but shrieked. "Yes, I am."

"Then that means…" She trailed off. "Both he and Rei are in the military. They are in pretty high positions. They're Special Forces." Milly finished for her. "Yeah Shirley. And now that Cornelia's taken command, we can start mopping up the terrorists."

"You're going to fight terrorists? But that's dangerous!"

"I know Shirley. But I have a reason to fight and a reason to live. That's why I will fight."

She was silent as she contemplated his answer. "But don't worry. Hikaru Alaina will stay the same. I'll call you when I have the time and you have my number too, for whenever you want someone to talk to. And I'll visit along once in awhile, here or at your home, so don't worry. And I'll still be staying in Area 11 in the same mansion. You guys are always welcome there." He walked over to the intercom, switching it on.

Everyone at the premises heard his voice. The members of ASEEC heard his voice as he spoke.

"Milly, announce that Shirley was the one who caught me. No questions asked."

"Um alright." As she announced as asked, she then said, "Now, our target, Hikaru Alaina will say a few words."

He took the mic and looked at the two Student Council members, receiving reassuring looks.

His voice was carried through the premises of the Ashford Academy.

" _Everyone at Ashford Academy, this is Hikaru Alaina, your Student Council Treasurer. As of tomorrow, I and Rei Zukari will be quitting Ashford Academy. We have been in the military for the past years and I have been a student part-time. From tomorrow, we will not be attending this place as I will be busy in our duties._

 _I had a lot of fun while I was a student. Though all the various events were, to say frankly, bizarre, I think that that's what makes this Academy our Ashford. Though the Prez made me a target for her various schemes, in the end, I had fun escaping from everyone. Thanks for that, Milly. And, I would like to thank the teachers who guided me in the short time I spent here. I would also like to thank the students as I was able to have fun because of you guys being here as students along with me. I would also like to thank the Student Council for being there for me as friends. Lastly, there's one thing I would like to say._

 _Goodbye, Ashford Academy, and thank you for teaching me valuable lessons."_

The mic was given back to Milly who added, _"Don't worry. I'm sure we can drag him back from wherever he is to give him a good party and wish him luck in the future for all the battles they will face._

 _By the way, if you hadn't guessed it by now, this festival and man-hunt today was a send-off for Hikaru."_ 'Really? You couldn't be more subtle?' "Okay. Now that everything's over, clean up everything, people. I want you to leave no trace of a festival by tomorrow." She ordered, before turning around, spotting all the members of the Student Council sans Lelouch and Nunnally at the doorway. As they all came towards him, he wished then luck and farewell. He then asked Shirley to come to the side and said, "Shirley, it was thanks to you that I and Rei are a couple. So as a favour, I told that you caught me. I know that you like Lulu so take this as a chance, alright? Thanks for everything."

He then went towards Milly, pulling her to the side. "Milly, I was thinking that all of the Student Council could go to Lake Kawaguchi the next weekend as a get-together." She beamed at the idea of a trip. "Alright. I'll tell the others." "Thanks. And I know that you know who Cora and Euphie are. I was thinking if you'd come with us for shopping for those two." She agreed immediately and she cooked up something. "And you know about Kallen."

"Yeah."

"Anyway, you should come to the parties. Those feel different compared to here. I'd like to spend some time with my friends if I could." "Alright. I'll also ask Kallen to come too." "Good."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Remind me to never get Nonette and Milly Ashford to meet each other." Cornelia said tiredly. The group was carrying bags of clothing, both casual and formal, bought after many hours of choosing and bickering.

XXXXXXXXXX

They unloaded the bags at his mansion. All of them then sat down in the living room, a folder in their hands, looking through the information collected by him. "Hell, how did you collect all this information?" "With extremely unpleasant methods."

They grimaced as they understood what he meant. He pointed out a map. "Right now, we should deal with the Saburo group. They are the culprits behind the bombings in the past months. And they don't care about casualties, Britannian or Eleven. Then we deal with the Amatsu-Kami group and the Shichi Fukujin group. Then the Kenshiki Faction is next. "

Guilford pulled out a profile of their leader.

He scanned through the information.

"Tatsuhiro Saito, age 40. Leader of the Saburo group, a terrorist group in Area 11 and self-proclaimed mastermind behind the recent bombings, resulting in loss of life and property. Main targets for attacks are the Osaka Settlement and the surrounding areas. Their activities suggest that their strategic planning is nonexistent. Their targets also suggest a dislike towards the Honorary Britannian system. Not a prominent member of society before the war."

"It's highly likely that they're base is in the hills near Osaka."

"Yes, Darlton. And they do not seem to possess the same weapons that the other groups we faced in the previous areas used. But we have to proceed with extreme caution, for we do not know about their exact strength."

"We will depart tomorrow. Darlton, I'm leaving the Tokyo Settlement to you and the Glaston Knights. Guilford, Hikaru, Rei, you're coming with me. Kururugi, you're coming too. Alex will be coming too. We will use standard maneuvers for this. I expect everyone to be reach by tomorrow." "Yes, Your Highness!" All of them shouted in unison.

XXXXXXXXXX

He sat in the Dragoon, his hands twitching with anticipation.

" _Excited?" "You bet I am, Guilford. I can't stop shaking with anticipation."_

" _Don't be too excited, both of you. You shouldn't get ahead of us."_

" _I know, Rei. You tell that to us every time." "But you get too excited every time, Hikaru."_

" _I can't help it, can I? It's been a long time since I came back to the forces and worked with you guys. That's why, Guilford, today, I'll be taking the most kills."_

" _Try your best."_

" _All of you, quiet. This is a military operation, not a party."_ A brown haired man with blue eyes said. _"Yes, General Alec. If it was a party, I'd be dancing, not be in my Knightmare."_

Hikaru's answer earned laughs from the others.

" _Anyway, Suzaku, are you alright? Can you do this?"_

" _It's alright, Rei. After what happened, I don't have any mercy for these terrorists."_

" _Suzaku, this is your first time in the field under my command. You will be operating under the name Blue-1. I'm Omega and Rei's Blue-2."_

" _Don't forget about the rest of the forces."_

" _Ah right. As I'm taking command of the forces in this operation, Cornelia will be Blue-3 and Guilford Blue-4. All of you will follow my lead and charge the enemy base of operations."_

" _But-"_

" _General Alec, I have been in the field for longer than is expected of teengaers like me. And I know these areas. I have been scouting them during my time in Area 11. And besides, I'm taking command. So you have to follow my orders."_

" _But taking the Princess into a charge into an enemy base is-"_

" _She's a warrior, General. She's not just a princess. She's the Chief General of Britannia. And I trust her, her Knight and the other members of my squad to watch and protect each other."_

" _Alec, you will follow his orders."_ Cornelia interrupted their conversation.

" _Yes, Your Highness."_ He relented, hesitating.

" _As I was saying, General Alec, your unit will be Sigma. You should use standard designation for the members of your squad. The enemy defenses are reported to be only tanks, turrets and hand-held weapons. The presence of Knightmares is reported to be zero. All forces, report on Energy Filler status."_

" _Full operational capacity."_ He nodded as they reported.

" _Anyone who does not have full energy or required equipment, go for replacement of your frames immediately. Double check for defective equipment and systems. If found defective, get them replaced. Stock up on capture nets. Also check for hand-held weapons. You have 900 seconds. Get moving."_

 **After 15 minutes**

" _All systems operational."_

" _Here's the plan. On my signal, Omega through Blue-4 will charge into the enemy base in a surprise attack. Omega and Blue-1 will cut through enemy defenses and provide shielding from enemy fire. On my signal, Blue-2 will blast a hole through the roof of the enemy base and deploy blue chaff smoke. Sigma will then charge into the base along with his unit. All enemy forces are to be destroyed. Fire on will on entering the base. If you are in danger, eject. I will not tolerate any losses in personnel. Ensure that your energy status stays above 25%. Make your safety and the capture of the enemy your main priority. If capture is not possible, terminate the enemy. Don't let anyone escape. Is that understood?"_

" _Yes, General!"_

" _Good. Mission starts in 60 seconds."_

All the machines were started and ready to move. He switched the OS of the Dragoon to the specially designed and custom Battle Mode.

" _5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Dragoon, M. !"_

" _Lancelot, M. !"_

" _Launch!"_

The black and white Knightmares launched forward, racing up the hill and over the rocks to the base of their targets. He opened a channel with Suzaku and said, _"Blue-1, be careful. This is your first time in this field. Don't show mercy, because they won't. These people are not professional military but they were able to bomb the places, which means they are not amateurs. So you have to proceed with extreme caution. I will not be able to watch your back every time. Be careful."_

" _Alright!"_

The two frames took out their weapons, the claws turning blue and the swords turning red. A hail of bullets accompanied their entry as the turrets and tanks were set to work.

" _Hmm… I expected more."_

The Dragoon dashed forward, a blue shield covering it and slashed at the turrets and tanks, destroying them in quick succession and killing the terrorists, their blood spilling onto the claws, red spots on the blue claws the only trace of the deaths caused.

" _Blue-1, cover me. I'm charging in"_

" _Alright."_

The Dragoon charged forward, slashing at the turrets without any pause and destroying them with ease. 'How were they able to bomb the buildings if they were like this? I think someone's lending them assistance.'

" _Blue-2, fire and deploy chaff smoke in 5 seconds."_

" _Roger, Omega."_

" _Blue-3, Blue-4, don't halt. Proceed to the inner chambers and destroy all resistance."_

" _Roger!"_

The Dragoon sped inside and faced a dead end. The walls were lined with turrets and tanks and cannons, all armed and ready to fire. He switched the speaker on and spoke to them.

" _You of a forgotten age, who have dared to desecrate this land and rebel against the order, you who have disturbed the peace of the world, by my advent as the Black Dragon, I hereby execute you!"_

The Black Dragon then seemed to disappear as the hail of bullets and shells rained down.

The Lancelot and the three Gloucesters came inside, only to find a carnage, with the Dragoon in the middle of it, its claws and body stained with blood.

" _Omega here. Everything clear."_

" _Blue-1, clear."_

" _Blue-2, clear."_

" _Blue-3, clear."_

" _Blue-4, clear."_

" _Sigma, clear."_

The Dragoon turned back to them and led the way out.

" _Report casualties."_

" _No loss of life. Five Sutherlands lost to enemy fire. Pilots have ejected and sustained minor injuries. The injured are being treated now."_

" _Prisoners?"_

" _None, General."_ He sighed at the answer.

" _Check for any stragglers and start to slowly return to camp. Be on guard."_

" _Roger."_

 **3 hours later**

"You did good."

"Don't mention it, Guilford. The next ones are the Amatsu-kami group. I've located their base. They are a pretty small group. Only we five can go along with Cornelia's Royal Guard and 15 from Alec's squad."

"Hmm… Alright. Hikaru, you take command again for this operation too." Cornelia ordered.

"We will move out in 10 minutes. Let General Alec stay here. He worries too much. And he will provide defense for the Osaka Settlement in case someone like the Kenshiki Faction strikes."

 **8 hours later**

"That's all then." Hikaru said with a tired sigh as he rested in his mansion's living room, sprawled out on the couch.

"You did good today."

"Next, we have to deal with the Kenshiki Faction."

"Those guys are a pain in the ass." David said.

"I couldn't phrase it in a better way. I am thinking of calling for support."

"What? Whom are you going to call?"

"The Glinda Knights."

"Wait what?!"

"Princess Marrybell and her forces. I already asked Cornelia for permission. She agreed. Said that it would be good experience for them and also make it easier for us to do the clean up work. And besides, those guys should help out. Us and them are having similar goals but not working together. If we combine our forces, I think we could easily finish the mop up."

"I can't argue with that." Guilford commented.

"But did the Princess really agree?"

"Yes, Darlton. I *cough* explained to her the benefits of cooperating and she agreed."

'I somehow don't like how he worded it. It's almost like he convinced Princess Euphemia to talk to her.'

Hikaru then asked, "Rei, could you bring me something with chocolate?"

"I'll bring hot chocolate. Anyone want some?"

All of them raised their hands.

 **The next day**

Hikaru sat in the Dragoon's open cockpit, looking at the sky for a sign of their guests.

'The Glinda Knights, led by 88th Princess Marrybell mel Britannia. Their former tactical advisor was General/Earl Johann Schwarzer who was killed. The Princess then assumed command and has shown herself to be a capable tactician. Their main airship, The **Grandberry** , a **Caerleon-class** airship, and their operator is Toto Thompson. Their pilots are exceptional ace pilots all able to best the Glaston Knights. Their Knightmare Frame units are all experimental units. The Flag unit, **Lancelot Grail** piloted by Oldrin Zevon, the head Knight. The **Bradford** piloted by Leonhardt Steiner. The **Zetland** , Tink Lockhart. The **Sutherland Eye** , Sokkia Sherpa. The **Lancelot Trial** piloted by Princess Marrybell. 1 **Gloucester Glinda** , 3 **Sutherland Glinda** , 1 **Portman Custom** and 5 **VTOL** s. That is the current battle strength of the Glinda Knights. But they have been successful in their objective. That speaks lots about their capabilities. And their Head Knight is a strong Knight, even though she is very young. She's the same age as Rei, one year younger than me, but

she's far stronger than Rei. She's not at my level but she can best Rei. And Leonhardt is strong too. They could be aces and be famous if they were in the regular military.'

Suzaku was behind him in the Lancelot, cockpit closed and standing watch. He looked at the sky as he spotted a shadow fall over them."They've arrived." He muttered as the red and white airship landed and their leader stepped out, followed by her Knight of Honour and the other pilots of the Glinda Knights.

He jumped down from his seat and walked forward to meet them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I'm Hikaru Alaina, Duke of Valdstein and General in Princess Cornelia's forces." He bowed to the spanish pink haired young woman.

"At ease, General." He stood up and relaxed.

"How is the Viceroy?"

"The Chief General is well. She expresses her condolences that she was not able to receive you but she has been very busy with the mop up of the terrorist forces in Area 11."

"I understand."

She glanced at the two Knightmares in wait.

The other Knights also looked at the two machines in awe.

"Hey Hikaru, whose Knightmares are those?" Leonhardt asked.

"They are the Dragoon and the Lancelot."

"I understand that the black KMF is your frame." Oldrin said. "Yes, Oldrin. I pilot the Dragoon." "And the Lancelot?" "It is piloted by Suzaku Kururugi." "A Number?"

"He is a Honorary Britannian and I can vouch for his skill and loyalty, Miss Sokkia Sherpa."

He looked at the Lancelot. "Suzaku, come out." The cockpit of the Lancelot opened and Suzaku stepped down, bowing to Marrybell.

Suddenly, Hikaru turned around, taking a gun in his hand. "Get down, Princess." He pushed her to the ground. Not a second later, a bullet hit where she was standing.

Without panicking he quickly issued orders, "Suzaku, get in the Lancelot and cover them." He removed his coat and passed it to Oldrin. "Cover her with it. It's bulletproof." "Right."

As the Lancelot appeared before them, he ran to the Dragoon and activated it. 'The shot came from 12 o'clock. That means the sniper should be in the warehouse, probably alone. And the bullet was armor piercing round, able to damage Sutherlands. Whoever did it is out for blood. And that bullet, it is expensive. Buying that is going to cost a lot. Then it is not some minor group. So, it is a major one. Either the JLF or the Kenshiki. That or some unknown group which even I do not know about, but that possibility is very low. I should capture them for interrogation.' The Dragoon moved towards the towers.

'The Factspheres should be able to get a vision or even thermal vision.'

As he received the data, he smirked. 'Only two of them.' The Dragoon turned towards the lone building to the far end of the airport and launched Slash Harkens into the building, pulling the Dragoon closer and opened the cockpit. As the Dragoon came into jumping range, he jumped up onto the roof, coming to the sight of the snipers fleeing, leaving his gun.

The young pilot ran after him, knives in hand. He took his gun and aimed at the sniper.

BANG! The shot resounded as the snipers were hit in the leg. Few more shots and a few well thrown knives brought the snipers down.

He got towards the sniper and took some metal wire. He then proceeded to tie the hands and legs of the two snipers and took cloth to tie their mouth and bind their jaw, stopping them from speaking and biting their tongue. He spoke into his communicator.

"Suzaku, get here. I have two prisoners. Also, bring Leonhardt and Oldrin. All threats have been neutralized. I want them to control the prisoners while we control the Knightmares. Tell them that it's my order."

He waited for the Lancelot to come to the building, carrying the two Knights. As they climbed to the roof, he handed them to the two Glinda Knights and went inside the Dragoon's cockpit, detaching the Slash Harkens and falling to the ground. He then put the Dragoon's claws for Oldrin and Leonhardt to step on. The two frames then returned to where Marrybell was being checked for injuries.

He went to the princess. "Are you injured, Your Highness?" "No. I am uninjured, General, thanks to your actions."

"Please refer to me as Hikaru. I don't like being called by my rank if I can help it."

"Alright then, Hikaru. I would also like to stay informal so you may refer to me by my name if you wish to, as my Knights do. And I think that you have no problem getting along with the group, seeing that you have already worked with them."

"Yes."

"Good."

She then looked at the two prisoners.

"These are the scum that attempted to kill me?" Her voice was cold.

"Yes."

Leonhardt kicked one of them. "You, which group do you belong to?"

"Leo, don't hurt him. He's from the JLF, right, Hayama, Yamada?"

He smirked as their faces were instantly filled with worry.

He laughed darkly. "I'm going to have fun interrogating you."

 **30 minutes later**

He stepped out of his Knightmare, opening the door for Marrybell and standing guard.

He led them through the Government Bureau to Cornelia's office. He knocked on the door. As he received an "Enter!" he opened the door. "Cornelia, Princess Marrybell mel Britannia and her Glinda Knights have arrived."

"Good. Marrybell, I trust that there were no problems with your trip?"

"There were no problems till I arrived in Area 11."

Hikaru then informed her. "An assassination attempt was planned on her highness by the JLF. I have reason to believe that we have a spy in our midst."

"What?!" "Yes sister. I would have been dead by now if not for the actions of Hikaru here." "I see."

"The culprits have been apprehended. Viceroy, I would like to handle the interrogation of these scum. I would like to use extremely unpleasant methods and I require your permission."

"I would like to interrogate them." Tink Lockhart said.

"Tink, don't. We don't want you breaking limbs again."

"But-" "Breaking their limbs to get information is too cruel." Sokkia said.

"Hikaru will handle the interrogation. That's final."

 **15 minutes later**

He walked to the interrogation room, where Cornelia, Guilford, Suzaku, Darlton, Marrybell and the pilots of the Glinda Knights were present. He was carrying sharp knives.

"I'm going to warn you. What is about to happen is extremely unpleasant. And I will not stop, no matter what happens. So if you want to, you should leave now."

"Nah it's alright. What could you do? Break his arms?" Leonhardt asked.

Suzaku sighed as he heard the question.

Hikaru went into the room.

He cracked his knuckles and said in a calm and dangerous tone. The Glinda Knights were shocked as they heard his voice.

" _Hey, I'll ask only once. If you do not answer, you will feel pain you have never felt before. And I will not stop until you are dead. And your stupid comrades will feel fear when they look at your bodies. So, I'll ask you ONLY ONCE."_

He emphasised as he spoke, taking the knives.

" _Tell me everything you know."_

 **30 minutes later**

He walked out of the room, coming face-to-face with the shocked looks of the Glinda Knights. "What?"

"You… How can you be so cruel?!" Leonhardt shouted as he held his collar. He kept his cool. "Granted they are prisoners and they were trying to assassinate the Princess. But why?! What reason was there to torture them so much when you could have used a truth serum or something?! And why did you continue to torture them even after they told you everything?! Answer my!"

The blue haired teenager just removed the hand holding him and walked past him, reaching towards the door. "Answer me!"

"I don't have to answer to you, Steiner."

As he reached the door, Marrybell stopped him. "Answer my question then, Hikaru. Why were you so cruel to them, torturing them for information which could have been obtained with the use of a truth serum and why did you continue to torture them and kill them brutally and painfully after they gave all the information they had?"

"Is that the question you ask as a person or as the 88th Princess?"

"As both."

He turned around. "Let me tell you a story then. Once upon a time, there was a little boy. He was son of a Duke and led a happy life, playing with his friends and sister. One night, on the night of a celebration for something he couldn't remember, his parents were killed along with the servants in the house. And the killer was not found and everything was covered up like an accident. He was not happy but he stayed quiet for his sister. Later, he and his sister went to a neighbouring country along with a prince and princess. As there were tensions between the two countries, there was war breaking out. As the boy was clever and also hear about some adults talking about the war, he talked to a friend of his father and requested him to get him and his sister out of the country but before he could arrive, they were found by the country's army guys. They beat up the two children. The boy was hurt the more his sister was tortured. His sister was then tortured before him just for their sadistic whims. And the girl was killed after being tortured. Can you understand that? His last remaining family, his own sister, was killed right before his eyes and he couldn't do anything to save her. Later, he joined the army. He made some friends and trusted comrades. The friend of his father, he was able to save the boy. The boy made friends with that man's daughter and they joined the army together. He became famous as he was fierce and merciless in battle but kind to the innocent, like a dragon. The man who saved him died to protect the boy and the boy's friend and gave the command to the boy to protect his daughter. He returned to the land where his sister died, many years later and made a grave for her, as a pledge to protect the people he loved. However he was conflicted by his past. He craved power but he couldn't control his hatred. He came to face the ones who killed his sister and he snapped. He made them suffer the same way he suffered and ended their lives. He got everything out of him, the names of the people who killed her and the one who gave them the order to kill them. And he swore to make them suffer, for only then could his hatred be calmed, for he feared he would become a monster if he didn't kill them and his hatred would control him, making him lose his loved ones once again and leaving him only with loneliness and despair."

He finished his story and walked towards the door. The Princess was shocked as she realized who the boy in the story was.

"Stop! You haven't answered me!" The brown haired boy shouted.

"Didn't you understand, Steiner?" His voice was extremely cold. "The boy in that story was me and the men inside are two of the men who killed my sister. I killed one of them already and I got the information about all his squad members and the JLF from him. He didn't even remember that he killed my sister. He didn't deserve to live after that. That's why I killed him. And I will kill all the remaining ones, whether you like it or not. Just accept it. The world is not such a nice place as you think it may be. It's extremely cruel, cold and dark. People will try to stay together with their loved ones so that they can stay in the light and warmth, because they are scared of the cold and the dark. But I was not like that. That day, I lost the loved ones I had and that day, I did not reject the darkness. I embraced the darkness and the cold that came with it. I accepted the evil and the cruelty of the world and that's why I survived like this. Someone like you can't understand the helplessness I felt when I lost my family."

He left, closing the door. "Cornelia, get them packed."

 **5 hours later**

He opened the Dragoon's cockpit and stepped out, the blood stains on the Dragoon clearly visible.

"Where did you go?"

He turned towards the source of the sound. It was Marrybell and Oldrin. He nodded towards them and said, "Cleanup."

As he turned to leave, he heard Marrybell's voice. "Wait." He stopped.

"I apologise for my Knight's behaviour yesterday."

"I refuse to accept it."

The blonde immediately moved towards him. "You jerk! Marry is kind enough to apologise for his behaviour. How dare you insult her-" She grabbed his collar, only for a hand to catch it.

"Remove your hand or I will break it." He warned, twisting it a little for emphasis.

"Besides, it's he who should apologise. Not her. I will not accept kindness and apologies that are not needed or that are not from the right person. In this case, it is Leonhardt himself who should apologise, not Marrybell. That's why I refuse to accept her apology, when she has not done anything to offend me. Besides, I don't care about Leonhardt's behaviour. He doesn't need to apologise for something which I don't even care about, he will be wasting time. And I know he's there too. He is listening to our conversation. All I need right now are efficient soldiers who can do their job. I called for assistance to fight against terrorists, not to discuss my interrogation methods, behaviour or philosophy." He explained, brushing the blonde off. "If that is all the business you have with me, I would like to leave."

The Princess and Knight watched as he left the hangar. "Oz, call him. Tell him that I want him to be our escort in our observation of the city."

"But Marry!" "He's a nice guy. He's still troubled from yesterday, I can tell."

 **1 day later**

The blue haired boy stood at the gate, playing with a knife while leaning on the wall.

The Princess was the first to arrive, dressed in a disguise. She saw the Black Dragon playing with the knife, expertly twirling the knife and spinning it between his fingers, not even concentrating on the movement.

'He's experienced when it comes to knives. Maybe swords as well. And he's a Knightmare ace as he was able to easily beat the Glaston Knights. He almost crushed them, to say. He is a powerful ally for us and an extremely dangerous foe for the terrorists.'

"You're experienced when it comes to knives, Hikaru?" "I have been using them from the time I was under General Zukari's command. They were a gift from him. That is why I use combat knives in battle. They act as a reminder of sorts."

He was still playing with the knives while answering her questions.

The other Glinda Knights soon arrived. Leonhardt stepped forward and bowed to the young General.

"Hikaru, I apologise for my behaviour yesterday. It was out of place for me to question you, when I didn't have knowledge of your past and extremely rude of me. I sincerely apologise for my behaviour and hope we can work together like we did in the past."

"Don't bow to me." He said, making the brown haired man stand up. "If you realized it that's fine. And I hope we can continue to work together too."

As they shook hands, the Princess interrupted them. "Now that that's all over, let's go!" She grabbed each hand and dragged them towards the entrance and exit.

 **10 minutes later**

"Hey Hikaru, you were using a different Knightmare back then, weren't you?"

"Yes, Marrybell. I was. But as my Dragoon is ready now, I will be using it. It's still being upgraded constantly with programmes and new weapons."

"I understand that you were a student at Ashford Academy previously."

"Yes. I was a student. But the Headmaster Ruben K. Ashford and the Student Council President Milly Ashford knew that I was in the military. I disappeared for some days frequently to investigate the various terrorists groups of which I had obtained the obtained the information about. She covered for my disappearance by saying that I liked to travel and I wrote a travel blog, to cover for it. As I was in the EU and Euro-Britannia too, I was able to write a travel blog effectively keeping my cover and also remove any suspicion held on me. But as Princess Cornelia has assumed command of the forces, I was free to return to the military and do my work without any restrictions. So I announced to the academy that I was leaving. Then I have been doing mop up work solo from the last 5 days."

"Wait! Since the last 5 days?!"

"Yes, Oldrin. And please don't shout."

"How many groups did you take out?"

The green haired girl laughed. "Don't joke Oldrin. Even if it was 5 days, I don't think he could take out more than 1 group alone."

"17+25." He said as he looked around, escorting them to the various places.

"What?"

"I eliminated 17 terrorist groups in and around the Tokyo Settlement and 25 near the other Settlements."

The blonde stared at him in awe. "Miss Zevon, it's bad manners to stare at people." He joked.

As they laughed at the blushing girl, he was asked by Leonhardt. "Did you sleep?"

"What do you think, Leo?"

"Someone forced you to sleep."

"Almost correct. She mixed sleeping tablets in hot chocolate and gave it to me."

 **1 hour later**

"This is the amusement park, Clovisland, constructed by Prince Clovis. It has high amount of the population visiting everyday."

"But the security is lax." "That's right, Oldrin." Leonhardt said as he looked at the knives that Hikaru sneaked in.

"Where do you hide those knives anyway?" "They are strapped to my coat and sleeves. And I have experience with knives so I've got better at using them and hiding them. I can just hide them in the sleeves of my coat and in battle, have them attached to a spring mechanism for easy use."

"God, you are clever."

"You flatter me with your praise."

They looked around the place, the men checking the places where it was easy for attacks while the women enjoyed the rides.

Hikaru looked at the list of places on his phone and sighed. 'All these places… Clovis is a fool, building stupid amusement parks when he could have been improving security.'

He then went towards the group. "What do you want to see next?"

"The Shinjuku ghetto. Please take us there, Hikaru."

He sighed internally and said, "Alright."

 **30 minutes later**

They crossed the border between the Settlement and the ghetto and stepped into the ruined city.

"My legs are killing me." Sokkia grumbled as they stopped for a bit.

"Come on Sokkia. We're leaving." Tink said.

They arrived at a destroyed building with various pictures stuck to the walls.

"This is…"

"A memorial. They can't build a grave for their loved ones so atleast they should have a memorial for their loved ones so that they will be remembered." Hikaru said, joining his hands together in prayer, in respect for the dead.

 **3 hours later**

"This is your house?" He nodded tiredly as he opened the door.

'Rei's not here. She went to Milly's house to plan the trip to the lake tomorrow but I don't think I'll be going there.' He called her and told her the details and apologised for not coming and turned back to his guests.

"I'll be sleeping in my room. The guest rooms are on the second floor. Only the ASEEC is staying here now. You can sleep in the guest rooms. Just check to see if any of them are occupied." He then went to his room and fell asleep. 'Today was a long day.'

A few minutes later, he felt someone lay down on the bed but dismissed it as his imagination.

 **The next day**

He woke up and found that he could not move.

"Huh?" He heard light muttering beside him and felt a pair of arms around him, hugging him and preventing him from moving.

"Who's this and why are they in my room?" He saw blonde hair and immediately recognized it. "Oldrin?" 'She must have thought that my room was empty.' He removed himself from her hold and put a pillow in the place.

He went to shower and changed into his clothes before going to the kitchen and preparing a cup of hot chocolate for himself.

He sat on the sofa and sipped it slowly, yawning.

"Good morning, Hikaru." He heard Marrybell's voice and nodded.

"Good morning, Marrybell. Did you sleep well?" "Yes. Is that hot chocolate?"

"Yeah." "If it is not trouble, could you make some for me?"

"Alright."

He stood up, drinking his cup of chocolate as the others arrived in the living room. He asked them, "Do you want hot chocolate?"

He went to the kitchen, returning with 6 cups of hot chocolate and gave them to the Glinda Knights, receiving a thanks.

He picked up his phone as he heard it ringing. "Guilford?" He muttered, answering the call.

"Yeah?" A muffled voice spoke on the other end.

"A hostage situation?" His words caught their attention. Oldrin immediately switched the TV on and changed the channel to the news.

" _We have received information that the Lake Kawaguchi Hotel, where the Annual Sakuradite Talks are being held, is under the control of terrorists. The culprits are said to be the JLF. A man proclaiming himself to be Lt. Col. Josui Kusakabe is the leader of the terrorists. He has former minister Munakata Suzuki with him."_

The cup in Hikaru's hand immediately fell down, cracking to pieces. "Hikaru?" Oldrin called.

"Munakata Suzuki?" He repeated darkly as the shot changed to the faces of the two men before switching to a clip of the hostages.

" _Hikaru? Are you there? It seems Rei and your Student Council friends are also there."_ Guilford's voice was heard over the phone, the words being heard by the Glinda Knights. _"Princess Euphemia is also there. She is in a disguise along with her bodyguard but there is a danger of her being recognized. Princess Cornelia is telling you to come there as soon as possible. The Dragoon is being transported there. Come quick."_ "We understand, Lord Guilford. We'll depart immediately." Oldrin said as she took the phone.

Hikaru stood in the same place and he was shaking slightly. As the Head Knight reached out to him, he laughed. He laughed maniacally.

"Munakata Suzuki, looks like today is your end." He composed himself and said, "Get ready. We will depart in 10 minutes."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **That's all for this chapter. At the start in the duel, as we can see, Hikaru is very strong, strong enough to be invited into the Rounds. And he is an ace pilot and able tactician, able to use brute force effectively. His rank is a General, just like Darlton, and below Cornelia. As he was the one who collected the information, I felt it was right for him to command the forces. And Cornelia stated in the anime during the Narita battle that she did not want to steal achievements from her men. And the Glinda Knights will act as rivals for Hikaru and his team and also allies for Cornelia. They will be instrumental in the next few chapters as they will partake in the battle between the Kenshiki Faction(created group) and Hikaru's team. And the Narita battle will be after the Kenshiki. Next chapter will be Lake Kawaguchi and the Black Knights' entry, as well as a little twist, with Hikaru killing the JLF and Zero taking credit for his work. The Dragoon will be upgraded, able to go into a special mode, where it will have enhanced performance but low energy and also place heavy strain on the user. Keep waiting for the next chapter.**

 **Read and Review**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello. Hikaru here. As I mentioned before, this chapter will contain the Lake Kawaguchi incident and the death of Rei Zukari, along with one more of Hikaru's revenge. The revenge will end in this chapter, with the death of Kobayashi, Miura, Saito and Munakata Suzuki at the hands of the Black Dragon of Britannia. Rei's death will serve as character development for Hikaru and the team. Sorry if you were attached to her. I had planned this after the review from 'duked' (Thanks dude for the chance!). In this chapter, we will see the entry of the upgraded Dragoon, the H-01 Dragoon Fafnir, added with a katana MVS and a flamethrower with blue flames. Prepare to be amazed. This chapter will also contain the entry of Gino Weinberg and Monica Krushevsky and Rei's funeral. And the Black Knights will not make any entry in this chapter. Their entrance will be after a few weeks in the fic. I will introduce a new unit in this chapter. Without further ado, I present to you Chapter 4.**

 **Chapter 4**

 **The Death of the Blue Flash**

 **G-1 command center, Lake Kawaguchi**

Hikaru entered the command center with the members of the Glinda Knights. The advisors saluted them. "At ease."

He turned towards one of them. "What's the situation?"

"The JLF have captured the hostages and are demanding that Britannia give Area 11 back to them along with the supply of sakuradite that we possess."

"Typical… The hostages?"

"They are being held in a storage room on the 15th or 16th floor."

"Any delegates?"

"The delegates for the meeting, along with Chairman James, have been captured. There have been no casualties as of now."

"I see. And the media?"  
"They are here, my lord." He turned towards the screen showing the media.

'That's Shirley's father.' He thought as he looked at the man talking to the media, expressing worry for his daughter. His phone ringing alerted him. "Rivalz?" He answered the call.

"Yeah, I'm here." _"Thank god! Lelouch is not answering."_ "It's alright, Rivalz. He must be busy."

" _Where are you?"_

"I'm here at Lake Kawaguchi. I know that they are among the hostages. Don't worry Rivalz. I will save Milly, Shirley, Rei and Nina. They will die once they face me. I have to go now."

He hung up and put his phone in his pocket. "Your friend?" "Yes, Oldrin."

He asked them, "Where's Cornelia?"

"The Viceroy is in her Knightmare along with Lord Guilford and General Darlton." "Patch a call to her."

" _Hikaru, you're here."_ "Yeah."

" _What do you think?"_ "They have prevented entry from water and air. And there are only two routes to the hotel, the main bridge and the supply tunnel. Did you try the tunnel?"

" _Yes. 3 Sutherlands went inside the tunnel. But something stopped them. All 3 pilots were injured critically but they are alive and stable.. The same happened to the Gloucesters. None of them were able to breach the tunnel."_

"Did you try sending Suzaku?"

"But sir, he's an Eleven. He could not do it. And he fai-" "Quiet. I'm talking to the Viceroy."

" _We sent Kururugi. But it failed too."_ "Faster than the Lancelot?"

" _He was able to report what it was before he was hit."_ "What?! How is he?!" _"He's unconscious. And the Lancelot is damaged too. It will be some time before it is back in the field. He's being treated."_ "That's good. Anyway, what was he hit with?"

Darlton answered the question. _"It seems they modified 4 Glasgows into a linear cannon. The ammunition seems to be shrapnel."_

He looked at the machine. "The Raikou. I collected some information about it but I didn't think they would finish building it this quick."

"What is that?" Leonhardt looked at the odd machine.

"That's the Raikou, Super Electromagnetic Shrapnel cannon. A maglev weapon, you could say. The ammunition they used is shrapnel. They modified 4 Glasgows, I think, into a linear cannon by combining the Energy Fillers and Yggdrasil Drives along with a powerful and sturdy cannon tube. It's perfect for close quarters. With the low space in the tunnel, evasion rate is very less. And the bullets are steel ball bearings, I guess. And look, the open arms are replaced with linkable cannons. If the main cannon fails, the linkable cannons will do the job. And not only that, the high speed with which they move makes it almost impossible to dodge and the damage sustained is extremely high." He turned towards a young woman in uniform. "Vergamon, call Lloyd Asplund." "Yes sir!"

As the silver haired man appeared on the screen, he asked with a comical smile. "Good evening. How do you do?"

He glared at the Earl with enough anger to scare him and said, "Cut the crap, Lloyd. And I want reports on Suzaku and the records of the Lancelot's operation in the tunnel. Immediately."

"Yes, will do." He received the reports by the next minute.

He gave a file to the Leonhardt. "Play it on loop."

He looked at the injured brown haired boy's file. "Good. At least he's safe."

He then looked at the video. It showed the Lancelot advancing through the tunnel. The Raikou appeared on the screen a few moments later. The Blaze Luminous was deployed, the green shield appearing on the screen.

The ammunition was launched, steel balls appearing from the big shell.

The camera view started rotating as the Lancelot tried to dodge.

It proved to be in vain as the shield was penetrated by the balls and hit the Lancelot. It fell back by a considerable distance and the next feed showed Guilford's Gloucester appearing, retrieving the Lancelot.

"That's all." "Play the part where the shell splits and the ammunition is fired."

As the steel ball bearings appeared he tried to count them. "They are so many."

"Sokkia, how many are there?" "There are more than 4 dozen of them, Princess Marrybell."

"I see." _"Hikaru, this is your forte. You are one of the best tacticians I have. You have me, Guilford, Darlton and the forces. You have the G-1 and the Special Corps at your disposal. You also have the Bradford at your disposal along with its pilot. What is your plan?"_ "I need some time, Cornelia."

" _Alright, but we don't have much time."_

 **Inside the hotel storage room**

Rei observed the room and the guards in the room. She was seated in a corner with Milly, Shirley and Nina.

Suddenly, one of the men's radio crackled and he answered.

Seconds later, a man in front was taken by them.

'What happened?'

 **G-1 base**

"Hey look there!"

The young General's eyes immediately darted towards the screen.

A man was being led there by two JLF members, blindfolded, his hands and feet bound.

"No.. No.." 'They will not do it. They will not do it. They will no-' "NOOOO!" He shouted as the man was pushed from the roof of the building. The camera followed the man as he fell to his death. "Damn IT!" He punched the screen, cracking it.

Kusakabe and Munakata appeared on the screen. He glared at the two men.

" _As the Britannian Govt has not complied with our demands, we will execute a hostage every 30 minutes."_

He gritted his teeth as the feed was cut.

"What do we do, Hikaru?"

"Let me think."

 **10 minutes later**

"20 minutes till the next hostage." Sokkia announced.

"I got it." He said confidently. "Lloyd, the weapons I asked for the Dragoon?"

"The MVS and flamethrower?" "Yes. Are they ready?" "Yes." "Equip them to the Dragoon."

"Yes. It will take some time." "How long?" "Um about 15 minutes." "Get to work."

He turned back. "Oldrin, please hurry and get the bag that was with me. Hurry." "Right."

The blonde girl immediately ran out of the room, returning with a black bag. "Leonhardt, get ready to deploy the Bradford. You will launch along with me in the tunnel. We will start from a different point from the others. It will be at a larger distance from the Raikou. You will provide support for me. The plan is simple. I will charge forward and burn the shrapnel with the Dragoon and damage the Raikou's supports with the MVS and MVC. You will fire your megiddo harkens and destroy the cannon. You may use the hadron if you require. The larger distance will help us gain the speed and momentum required to dodge and cut through the cannon. And it will also help to fire the flamethrower easily and safely if we fire from a distance. That entails the details of the plan."

" _Are there any dangers to this plan?"_ "Yes Cornelia, but we can't waste time. If the next hostage is Euphie, Rei or anyone from the student council, I don't know what I will do. I will do this no matter what." He turned towards Leonhardt. "Are you ready, Leo?" "Yes!"

"Good. We're leaving. Get your Knightmare checked for any malfunctions. Immediately." "Yes, my lord!"

As the pilot left the room and towards his Knightmare a young woman ran after him, followed by another. "That was his fiance, wasn't she?"

"Marrybell, I'm leaving G-1 to you. Cornelia, if we fail, do whatever you can to exchange the hostages."

" _R-right. But don't fail."_ "I will try."

He then left the room. "Oldrin, be on the comms with me and Leo. At all times. And we both will be wearing visual rec goggles. Make sure that the feed is on the main screen." "Yes!"

"And, relay any developments to me and any video feed the JLF sends." "Alright!"

He reached into the bag and pulled out a thin bag tied with a thread. He opened the thread and threw the cloth down, pulling out a scabbard. It was extremely simple, black in colour with a sword sheathed in it. He drew the sword and swung it experimentally, cutting the sheath in half. "Where did you get it?" "A market." He answered as he walked to the Knightmare hangar, where the final touches were being done to the Dragoon. He gave a set of goggles to Leonhardt and went to the Dragoon.

"Leo, get ready." "Right."

He entered the Dragoon, keeping the sword by his seat and then manoeuvred his frame towards the tunnel, where it was lowered along with the Bradford.

He started the systems.

" **Dragoon Fafnir** , launch!"

"Bradford, launch!"

The two Knightmares launched, immediately moving at high speeds. The Bradford transformed into **Fortress Mode** , moving at a higher speed.

"I should initiate **Dragoon Fafnir: Wyvern Mode** now."

He opened the console and typed some commands at a high speed, some screens appearing on the display.

" _Wyvern Mode activated."_

 **Inside the hotel**

Nina shook as she was held by Milly. One of the soldiers came near her. She instantly whispered. "Eleven…"

The JLF member heard it and instantly shouted at her. "What was that you bitch?! Take that back. We're Japanese!"

"Okay. We'll correct her. Lay off her." Milly snapped at him.

"What was that? I'll teach you a lesson!" The terrorist grabbed Nina, dragging her.

Rei noticed Euphie about to stand up. 'Oh no. She will reveal herself.'

"Stop!" She shouted. "Let her go." The terrorists in the room pointed their guns at her.

"I demand that you let go of that person this instant." "What will you do, huh, little girl?"

"I am Colonel Rei Zukari under Chief General Cornelia li Britannia's command. And I demand that you take me to your leader for negotiations."

A round of gasps were heard, both from the hostages and the terrorists.

The presumed leader radioed his superior. "Yes, captain." He turned to two of them and ordered. "Miura, Kobayashi, take them to where Kusakabe-sama is." "Yes, captain."

 **The underground tunnel**

Hikaru activated the flamethrower, the mouth of the Dragoon opening. He spotted the Raikou. _"Here it comes, Leo. On my signal, fire." "Right."_

The Raikou was fired, the shell splitting and dozens of steel ball bearings rained down on them.

" **Ifrit** , activate." A blue sphere of flames was formed at the mouth of the Knightmare. "Fire!"

He pressed the trigger and blue flames consumed the whole area, burning the steel balls and the Raikou along with it. The Dragoon dashed forward as the claws activated and slashed the four cannon. _"Now, Leo."_

The Bradford's megiddo harkens were launched and joined together, a sphere forming in the space between them.

The sphere fired a beam, the red cannon shot destroying the Raikou.

" _Now, we will proceed to the building." "Roger."_

The two Knightmares proceeded to enter the hotel. _"Cornelia, we've entered the hotel."_

He started to slash at any members in JLF uniform, staining the Dragoon Fafnir's claws with blood.

" _Shouldn't we capture them for interrogation?" "No need. I already have the information I need. And besides, there's no need wasting our time with the likes of these scum."_

The Dragoon continued slashing, the Bradford taking care of any stragglers, which were zero.

" _Leo, once we get to the upper floors, you proceed to rescue the hostages. I think that with the amount of deaths and destruction I caused, and the distraction I will provide, the terrorists watching the hostages will be left unguarded, probably locked in the storage rooms. You go to the upper floors, probably the 15th or 16th and check all the storage rooms. Once you have the hostages secured, get the Grandberry which I have secured to your location. I made sure that we could get a jet in unspotted by directly blasting a current of electricity to the AA guns, destroying them and killing the operators. I also did the same with the torpedoes in the bottom. And once all the hostages are secured in the the Granberry, you should proceed to leave the building. I noticed explosives in the foundation. These terrorist scum are going to blow the building once we comply with their demands and they are safely out of the blast. So you leave once all the hostages in the hotel are secured. I mean ALL, Leo and I won't forgive you if you leave even one of them inside the building. Once the Grandberry lands, you should have some men search the upper floors to find any people still left there. Have the Sutherland Eye also deploy. Get Sokkia to do a scan of all the floors. If there are any people, my forces will retrieve the men if they are civilians and kill them if they are terrorists. I will proceed to execute the terrorists remaining while you evacuate the hostages. Have the Granberry land away from the bridge and also tell them to move the forces out of the bridge. Also, get a list of the people in the hotel, both the guests and the staff. Go and ask the manager for the list. He will have it. Then check each and every person. If anyone is missing, have Sokkia scan the whole building. Once you find the presences of the people, retrieve them. These are your current orders. Fulfill them with your utmost capability, Knight Leonhardt Steiner."_ His voice was serious as he issued the orders.

" _Yes, my lord!"_ The pilot's voice was stern and determined as he replied.

" _Good."_

" _Sir, what will you do?"_

" _Don't worry about me, Leonhardt. I will evacuate using my Knightmare after I execute these terrorists. I refuse to die today."_ 'I promised Rei that I will not die. I will stay alive, for the sake of everyone that I cherish!'

" _Understood, Sir."_

" _Now, fulfill your duty, as a person and a proud Knight!"_

" _Yes, my lord."_

The Bradford then burst out of the windows as the Dragoon Fafnir created many distractions, providing cover for the Bradford.

 **The upper floor**

Kusakabe looked at Rei, who was standing before him firmly.

"Is what you say true, girl?"

"Yes. I am Col. Rei Zukari under the command of Chief General Cornelia li Britannia. I assume you are former Lt. Col. Josui Kusakabe."

"You! Talk to him with respect!" The man beside him shouted.

A few loud screams were heard from the radios and from below. "What is it? What happened?"

"Sir! The men are reporting that someone has entered the hotel. They are inside Knightmares. The men are saying that they saw a black monster before they were cut to pieces. All of the men are reporting the same. There are no survivors." "What?!"

"It seems that my boyfriend has arrived. You should surrender if you want to live."

"Quiet, girl." As Munakata barked out orders, Rei asked him.

"Tell me, what do you hope to accomplish with these actions?"

"I want to tell the world that the Japanese are not dead yet."

Rei stared at him before laughing. "You're pathetic."

"What?!"

"I think Hikaru would say the same. Have you fallen so low that the Japanese have to resort to terrorism and murder like cowards to tell that they are alive? I would have thought that you had honor. But you are all scum with no honor or pride and just misguided morals and goals."

The door burst apart as the Dragoon appeared, the wall breaking to bits. It slashed at the men, cutting them to pieces. It moved towards Rei. _"Rei!"_

"You bitch!" Munakata lunged at her, a sword drawn. The stunned girl could only stay still as the blade was plunged into her chest. At the same moment, the Dragoon's cockpit opened and Hikaru jumped from it, the katana in his hands.

"REIII!" He screamed as the girl fell down.

He dashed towards her, the girl falling to his hands.

"H-Hikaru… I knew y-you would come." She whispered weakly. He pulled the sword out of her as the two remaining men fired at the young soldier, only to be blocked by a mystical barrier of blue flames.

The hot flames suddenly surrounded the two lovers and the Dragoon and expanded outwards in a circle, burning everything.

The terrorists ran away, only to be consumed by the flames. There was no ash left, no trace of the deaths that were caused. The flames slowly covered the room, burning everything they touched. The blue flames began to consume the whole building as the Black Dragon's blue eyes were glowing a mystical blue, the same colour as his lover's eyes.

He looked at the girl as his mind was consumed by the thought of death. 'She can't be saved.' Another thought took over. 'No! She can still be saved.' The two sides fought in his head as she spoke weakly.

"I knew that you would come, Hikaru." "No, please don't talk." He went to his communicator to call someone. "Someone come in! I need medical personnel here."

Sadly, only static was heard from his comms.

"Please, I want to spend my last moments with you." Tears appeared from her eyes as she continued. "Rei, no. Please don't leave me." His tears were also forming, an expression of sadness and despair on his face.

"I-it's alright. I will not leave you. I will always stay with you."

She struggled to raise her arms but put them to the locket around her neck and removed it.

It was a beautiful blue stone carved into the shape of a dragon, with a black mane and black rings in its eyes.

"This was something you gave me when I became known as the Blue Flash. It was my precious treasure. This is a part of me. Even if my body is buried, my soul will always stay with you in the form of this." She put it around his neck and then reached out to him.

"Be yourself all right? Don't blame yourself for my death. Don't die. Live for me. And please don't be alone." She reached up to his face, her blood staining his face. She reached up to kiss him.

" I love you Rei. Please don't leave me alone. Please don't die." "Idiot, I know you love me. And I won't leave you. I will be watching you. Goodbye, I love you, Hikaru." Her hand fell as she closed her eyes, a peaceful look on her face. His eyes widened as he shook her lifeless body, her hair falling over her eyes, giving her a peaceful and angelic look.

"Rei… Rei, don't joke like this. Don't die. Rei!" He screamed in anguish as everything set in, the realization setting into his mind.

'I wasn't able to protect Rei. I wasn't able to protect her.'

His final thoughts as he hugged her were regret and sadness. He blacked out.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Don't blame yourself for my death." "Live for me." "I will stay with you and watch over you always." "I know that you love me." "Goodbye. I love you, Hikaru."_

XXXXXXXXXX

"Rei!" He woke up suddenly, startling Euphie and Suzaku, who were beside him.

He looked around the room.

"Where am I?" He asked as he recognized the surroundings. 'My room?'

He noticed the two people in the room. He bolted to his feet.

"Euphie!" He looked towards her and almost shouted. "Where's Rei?! Where's she? She wasn't injured was she?! Hey, why are you looking at me like that?! Where's she?!"

A new voice entered the room as his voice was heard, a mixture of sadness and pity.

"She's dead, Hikaru." He immediately turned towards the source of the voice, finding a blonde teenager with blue eyes looking at him, sadness and pity visible in his eyes.

He looked at him as he shouted. "Are you mad, Gino?! She can't be dead! There's no way she can be dea-" "She's dead! Accept it, Hikaru! Rei's dead!"

Gino's harsh words brought his memories back as he started to remember everything that happened and Rei's last moments with him.

It hit him full force as tears started to roll down a single eye.

'That wasn't a dream?' He fell to the floor, a single thought running over and over in his mind.

'Rei's dead. I couldn't protect Rei.'

"Rei's dead. I couldn't protect Rei."

Gino looked at the young man before him. "It wasn't your fault, Hikaru."

He knelt down to his level and said, "It wasn't your fault, Hikaru. Nobody can do anything about it."

"No. It was my fault. If I was faster, I could have saved her. If I was faster, I could have saved her." He repeated, as if to keep himself sane.

His muttering eventually grew louder, as he desperately tried to convince himself that it was his fault.

A sudden slap shook him and brought him back to his senses.

"Snap out of it!" Euphie snapped at him. "It was not your fault that Rei died. She was looking peaceful when she was with you in her last moments. At the very least, she spent the last moments of her life with the one person she loved more than anyone else. I'm sure she wanted you to live your life and not spend it wasting it on blaming yourself. I'm sure she wanted you to be happy. She wanted to be remembered by you as a loved and treasured memory of your heart. Don't you understand that? She wanted you to be happy when you remembered her!" Her blue-violet eyes were watery as she talked to him.

"Don't taint her love by blaming yourself for her decision. She doesn't deserve that. Please, Hikaru, don't be like this. Please, go back to the way you were."

She was crying by the time she finished, her feelings conveyed.

Hikaru stayed like that for some time as he remembered her final words and her message to him. He was crying from one eye as he spoke. "Where's she? Where's Rei? I want to perform the final rites for her. I am the only family she has."

He had a sad smile on his face, the sadness reflected in his eyes.

"I will take you to her." Gino lead all 3 of them out of his room.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was raining as the funeral was held, as if the heavens were conveying the sadness through the rain.

He looked at the coffin that held her lifeless body. It carried his personal mark, a black dragon with blue eyes.

He looked at her one last time, saying, "Thank you, Rei, for being there for me. And watch over me. I will live for your sake. Goodbye. I love you, Rei."

He stepped back after placing a flower on her, the blue petals matching the shade of her eyes. The coffin was closed as he stepped back, watching as the people attending put flowers on the coffin, saying their final words to her.

As all the attendees finished, Hikaru stepped forward, lifting the head of the coffin as Gino, Leonhardt and Suzaku helped him.

They gently lowered the coffin into the grave and it was closed. As a gravestone was erected, he looked at the words carved into the stone.

'In memory of Rei Zukari, a good daughter, a good friend, an exceptional soldier and the one that loved and was loved above any other.'

He stood still as everyone started to leave.

"You coming?" "No. I'll stay here for some time. I will return to the mansion."

"Alright."

The blonde left, leaving him standing before the grave.

He stood before the grave for a long time and then stepped forward. He took something from around his neck and held it before his eyes.

He looked at the necklace stylised like blue feathers and at the single ring that was hanging from it. It looked simple, a gold ring with a blue gemstone in the middle. He placed it on her grave and left as the rain stopped, the light shining on the ring, reflecting off the engraving in the ring.

'Hikaru Alaina and Rei Zukari'

XXXXXXXXXX

He looked at the files, crossing off the exterminated groups.

"Can't sleep?"

"Yeah." Oldrin stepped forward into his field of vision. She was wearing shorts and a loose T-shirt. She bent over to look at the file and looked at the list in awe.

"Woah! How did you collect all this information?" "I used, to be blunt, psychological fear and stress along with physical torture to obtain this information. Turns out that the combination of these things is extremely effective against terrorists." He said in a joking tone as he scooted over for her to sit and she leaned on his shoulder to read.

"I feel more comfortable like this."

"Do as you like." Her chest was pressed into his arm as she leaned on him, reading the file.

 **1 hour later**

"Say, Hikaru, that friend of your's, Kururugi, he won't be in the field for some time, will he?"

He sighed as he closed the file, having gone through the information many times over.

"He was injured when he tried to bypass the Raikou. And his Knightmare is damaged too. It will be some time before he can get back to active duty under my command so I ordered him to catch up on the classes that he missed. And repairing the Lancelot will take longer than expected. Besides, he deserves a break after all that. He's been taking part in the clean up operations since my announcement. What with everything that happened at Kawaguchi, he deserves some rest some I want him to take some rest, physically and mentally before he comes back into the field."

She sighed as she looked at him. "Man, you are a good commander. You take care of your subordinates at the least. Our old general before Marry was a bastard and a pervert. Whoever killed him was a god to us."

"I'm not a god, Oldrin."

"What? When did I tell you that you were a god? I told that the one who killed Schwarzer was-" She gasped as she understood what he was implying.

"YOU killed him?" "Yes. And Marrybell knows why I killed him. He tried to attack and frame Rei. What he was about to do was going to destroy her life. So I killed him and made it look like an attack and then collected the evidence that exposed his corruption and got it published anonymously in all the newspapers. That's why not many investigated that bastard's death."

She looked at him blankly for a second before hugging him suddenly. "Thank you." She muttered repeatedly as she hugged him tightly. "He was a bastard and was overworking us. Thanks for what you did."

"You're hurting me." He said blankly and then went to the kitchen. "You want hot chocolate?"

"Okay."

He returned from the kitchen with two cups of hot chocolate and gave one to the blonde, drinking his own.

"Hey, I have a request."

"A request?"

"Yes. Could you spar with me in my Knightmare so that I can improve my fighting skills?"

"Fine. I have no problem with that. But we will fight in the simulators. I don't want to damage your Lancelot Grail, not when we have so much on our hands."

She seemed offended by that. "Hey! I'm not that bad of a pilot."

"Anyway, I'll fight each of you one-on-one and then fight you as a team."

He looked at the clock and said, "It's still some time till the others wake up. You want to spar now?"

"Alright!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Lancelot Grail, launch!"

"Dragoon Fafnir, launch!"

XXXXXXXXXX

*Yawn* "Where's the others?"

Leonhardt looked around to find no one at the living room and went to the hangar to find Gino going down.

"Hey wait up!"

The blonde turned back to see the Glinda Knight running up to him. "Yeah?"

"Do you know where the others are?"

"Hikaru and your friend, Oldrin, I think, are having a spar. Your Princess told me so I am going to watch."

"I will come too."

XXXXXXXXXX

Oldrin grunted as the cockpit shook from another hit.

" _Damn, you're strong."_

" _What did you expect from the Black Dragon of Britannia? I'm not called that name just because it's cool."_

The Dragoon launched forward, the blue claws clashing with the **Schrotter Steel** swords.

He grinned as the red machine was pushed back and taunted her. _"Is that all you have?"_

" _Just you wait!_ _ **Sword Harkens**_ _, launch all!"_

The big swords all raced toward the black Knightmare.

The audience was looking on as he stood still, smirking.

" _You know, there's one thing you're forgetting about dragons. Most of them can spit fire."_

" _What?!"_

" _Wyvern Mode, activate."_ A blue sheen surrounded the Dragoon's eyes as its mouth opened. A blue sphere of fire started to form at its mouth as the Ifrit activated while the large harkens raced towards him.

" _Ifrit, fire!"_

Blue flames spread from the black Knightmare's mouth, covering the entirety of the room in the flames as the steel carbide harkens started to melt from the heat, the wires catching fire. The flames spread towards the Grail as Oldrin struggled to cut the wires.

" _Blue flames?!" "The flames with the highest temperature are blue flames, with the highest temperature being said to reach 10000 K. And the fuel for these flames is Sakuradite."_

" _Then I just have to cut the head off and the Sakuradite will explode!"_

" _Wyvern Mode, deactivate!"_

Oldrin activated the **Sword Blazer** and ran the sword through the head, narrowly missing cutting off the head.

" _Really? Is this a movie? I mean, verbally announcing your attack before you hit cliche?"_

The audience laughed at the Head Knight's expense, making her blush. _"Shut up!"_

" _Let's see. I destroyed 10 swords and now you used your Sword Blazer. So you have one more hit." "That's true. But I will hit you this time." "Fine. As you are giving your all, I will fight your sword with my blade."_

His claws turned back to the silver color and he unsheathed his katana MVS, the blade seeming to ooze power as it activated.

" _Meet my blade,_ _ **The Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven**_ _,_ _ **Eclipse**_ _!"_

The sword was black in colour and looked every bit dangerous and powerful. It had a hilt in the shape of a dragon's head.

"Cool!" Sokkia shouted as she looked at the weapon.

"Cool is right! I so want to take it out of its hands!" Gino said excitedly.

" _This sword represents my will to protect the ones I hold dear. I will not lose."_

The two machines rushed forward, slashing at the same instant. The Grail was destroyed as the Eclipse slashed straight through the sword and bisected the Grail.

The simulation ended as the two pilots exited their cockpits.

"I-I lost.." "You did very good, Oz. To hold your ground against him for this long itself is a great feat." "But-" "After all, he was able to defeat Lord Waldstein in a hand-to-hand spar."

"WHAT?!"

"He-he de-def-defeated the Knight of One?"

"Yes, Sokkia, but I have the feeling that he was holding back and he said it himself that he shouldn't have held back."

He looked at each of them. "Who wants to go next? If I have to order you, I need to know how you battle, individually and in a team. That's why, you will battle me."

 **2 hours later**

The Glinda Knights had depressed looks on their faces as they entered the Bureau.

"What happened?" Euphie asked.

"A dragon demolished us in battle." Marrybell said.

"You shouldn't have fought him." Cornelia commented as she understood the riddle.

Hikaru walked up to her. "I'm reporting back for duty. I would like to take command for the operation against the Kenshiki Faction."

"Permission granted." She nodded in approval at his determined voice and said, "I received an order from the Prime Minister."

"From Prince Schneizel?" "Yes. It seems that the Emperor had ordered the Glinda Knights to be disbanded and the command be handed over to you."

"WHAT?!" Oldrin shouted. "What do you mean disband?!"

"I mean that, Lady Zevon. Please refrain from shouting in this place."

"Cornelia, can I talk to the Prime Minister?"

"He said that he will be waiting for your call."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Prince Schneizel, greetings."

" _Greetings. I take it that you have received the news."_

"Yes. May I know the reason behind this action?"

" _The Emperor himself ordered it. He said that they were needed more in Area 11 under your command, as you were once of the strongest, and said that if a group were to be formed with them as the members and you as the leader, it would certainly benefit the empire."_

"I see." 'That means he has something for me. Maybe the Emperor plans to eradicate terrorism in Area 11 more effectively?'

" _How is your Knightmare faring?"_

"The Dragoon Fafnir is stronger than ever."

" _Also, I'm sorry about Rei Zukari. I heard from Cornelia that you two were rather close."_

"Yes. We were close. I wasn't able to protect her. But I will live for her sake."

" _Good. If that is all then, I have other things to attend to."_

"Yes. Thank you for your time."

The call was disconnected and Schneizel's face disappeared from the screen.

'I should call Sir Bismarck to see what this is about.'

He called a number on the phone and the serious face of Bismarck Waldstein appeared on the screen.

"Greetings, Sir Bismarck."

" _Why have you called me, young Dragon?"_

"I have heard that the Emperor himself ordered Princess Marrybell's unit to be disbanded and placed under my command. I was wondering if you knew of why he had given such an order."

" _It was I who asked him to do it."_

"You, sir?"

" _Yes. As for why, when you fought me, I think you noticed an instant when you suddenly grew stronger and faster, almost disappearing, as if like lightning?"_

"Yes. Why?"

" _You possess a power. A power that holds great strength. Such a power can be used effectively if you have effective and strong warriors under your command. And you possess the same power that I possess too. You possess the power of Geass, the power of the kings."_

"Geass?" 'Why do I have the feeling that I was saved by this Geass?'

" _It seems you have a different form of that power, in that you cannot control it. You seem to be able to use it only when your heart wills you to."_

"Why are you telling me this, Sir Bismarck?"

" _I wanted you to know the power that you possess. It may have the capability to revolutionise the world."_

"I understand. I have a great responsibility. I will fulfill it to my best capabilities."

" _Good. In a short while, you will find a new ally in the person that I will send there. Monica Krushevsky will be sent to Area 11 to act under your command."_

"I see. My Lord, what is it that you wish to do?"

" _I wish you to understand the power your Geass has and the revolution it could cause, so that you will not be destroyed by that power, as many have been destroyed by it. I only want what is best for the Emperor and your power should be controlled."_

"I understand. I will try and make sure that I control this Geass and not let it control me."

" _You can expect her to arrive by today."_

"I understand, Sir Bismarck. I will not fail your expectations."

XXXXXXXXXX

He looked on as the flight landed and she descended the set of stairs.

He locked eyes with her and she kneeled before him.

"Lt. Monica Krushevsky, reporting for duty."

"Rise." As she stood up, he surveyed her, blonde hair a contrast to her blue eyes. She was wearing a functional top and skirt.

"Don't kneel to me. I neither need nor want my people to kneel before me. I only want people I can trust. Can I trust you?"

She was stunned at his words before replying, "Yes sir! You can trust me." "Good." He turned around. "Follow me."

The blonde followed him as he walked through the airport towards the parking lot.

'This person, he's different from my previous commanding officers. I can feel that I will become stronger under his command.'

They entered a blue car with an open roof. He opened to door for her and entered the driver's seat. She noticed a file on the back with her name on it.

"That's your file. But I don't care about that. I want to hear about you from yourself, Monica."

"Yes sir."

"Wait. Just call me by my name. I don't like formalities very much. I would like you to call me Hikaru but don't call me Sir or General. I dislike being called like that. I will call you by your first name of you don't mind. So, Monica tell me about yourself."

As they were driving, she told him about her. They entered his mansion and he parked to vehicle, going towards the garden. She followed him, staying behind as he stopped at a grave. There were two gravestones erected there.

"These graves are my sister's and my lover's graves. They are both people I couldn't protect, along with my old squad and commanding officer."

She looked at the names on the graves and asked him, "Why are you telling me this, Si- I mean, Hikaru?"

"Rei, Tsurara and all the people I lost are the reason that give me strength to protect the ones I care about. That's why I became this strong. I want to know, Monica, what is your reason? Why do you want to become strong? Why do you want to fight? You should know that before you fight. That will be the reason you will strive to win and live. That is something I need everyone in my squad to have."

They both stood still, one of them contemplating the question as the other waited for an answer.

"My father was killed while performing his duty, by some terrorists. I lost my father that day. I want justice to be served for those who commit evil. That is my reason to fight."

She answered his question and waited for his reply. He walked forward and raised his hand. His hand rested on her head as he ruffled her hair.

"A good answer." He then gave her his hand. "I will fight along with you and protect you. So, do your best and live."

He walked to the mansion as she followed him, blushing slightly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What Knightmare do you pilot?" "Um, I was piloting a Sutherland before I came to Area 11. I do not have a Knightmare presently."

"Hmm… that won't do. My unit is going to be an elite advanced unit. That means that we will be on the front lines and we need to be properly protected. That means we need to have better Knightmares. a. Is that okay?"

"I'm honoured that you will go to such lengths.""

"Which Knightmare do you pilot, Hikaru?" She interrupted.

"I pilot the Dragoon. Wait, now that you mention it…"

He pulled his laptop and opened a file which contained the schematics for the Dragoon.

"Aha! My new Knightmare, Dragoon Wyvern, will be ready soon. After fighting you, I have a perfect Knightmare for you."

"Really?!" "Yes."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is that all?"

"Yes. Thank you, Marrybell. Now, we have all the members of my unit."

 **Leader: Hikaru Alaina**

 **Second-in-command: Gino Weinberg**

 **Tactical Advisor: Monica Krushevsky, Marrybell mel Britannia**

 **Transport: Granberry**

 **Operators: Toto Thompson**

 **Pilots:**

 **Hikaru Alaina**

 **Gino Weinberg**

 **Monica Krushevsky**

 **Oldrin Zevon**

 **Leonhardt Steiner**

 **Sokkia Sherpa**

 **Marrybell mel Britannia**

 **Tink Lockhart**

 **Suzaku Kururugi**

 **Knightmare Frames:**

 **Dragoon**

 **Leviathan**

 **Florence**

 **Lancelot Grail**

 **Bradford**

 **Sutherland Eye**

 **Lancelot Trial**

 **Zetland**

 **Lancelot**

 **Vehicles: VTOL**

 **Base: Mansion of the Duke of Valdstein**

"What will be the name of the unit?"

He looked at all the members who were now dressed in black with blue coats/capes and a black dragon with blue eyes emblazoned on the back.

"Our unit will be…" His voice was filled with determination as he spoke. " **The Wyverns**!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 **I think I did good with Rei's death and her funeral scenes. The Dragoon Fafnir is just an upgraded version of Dragon with the MVS and flamethrower.**

 **Fafnir and Wyvern are dragons in mythology. Look it up if you want on Wikipedia. Ifrit is said to be a flaming creature. That's why I gave it the name. And the flamethrower ifrit won't appear in the next chapters. And the Wyverns is not the same unit from Akito the Exiled. It's just a name of the unit I created under Hikaru's command. The name is because he is the Black Dragon so I have the name Wyverns as it is the name of a dragon in mythology.**

 **And, I may not be able to update the fic after this chapter or the next due to my exams coming up. But I will not abandon this story. Trust me. At most, the next chapter will be a small one I guess.**

 **Read and Review...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello my dear readers. I am back with another chapter of Kakumei no Hikaru. I am really happy that my fic crossed 200 views, being not even a month old. It gives me encouragement to continue writing. In this chapter, Hikaru and the Wyverns will be tasked with dealing with the Kenshiki Faction, which is based in Osaka, and the declaration of war by the Black Dragon against the Kenshiki after a bombing in Osaka. In this chapter, I will also give a glimpse of Hikaru's Geass. It will only be for a short time so don't miss it while reading. I think you may have noticed, when his Geass activates, his eyes start to glow and his eyes become heterochromic, with yellow at the centre and blue at the outer edge. The Geass sigils will not appear in his eyes, due to the effect of his mother's Geass (Chapter 0: Prologue, for further confirmation). And this chapter will also have a cameo of the W-0 unit from Akito the Exiled.**

 **Anyway, enough talk, let's get to business.**

 **Chapter-5**

 **The Wyverns' Divine Retribution**

 _ **Government Bureau, Area 11**_

 _He looked at all the members and then said, "As of today, you are all members of the Wyverns, operating under my command. We will be continuing our previous mission and exterminate all terrorist groups in Area 11."_

 _He then smirked. "Our group will make sure to destroy them and strike fear in the hearts of all those who even think of terrorism. We will become the protectors of the weak and the blade which slays evil. This is the purpose of the Wyverns. We will perform some unpleasant jobs, that includes killing and extermination. I would like to avoid it but sometimes, we will have to leave no survivors or witnesses during some missions. We may have to kill even children if they are connected to terrorists. These are some of the unpleasant jobs you may face while in this unit. That is the truth of this unit. I will not hide that fact. If you do not like it, you are free to leave. But once we start, there is no leaving. Once you become a Wyvern, you either die in the line of duty or you live another day. There is no leaving once you become one of my unit. I will not force you to leave or stay. You are free to do what you want. Even if you leave now, the Wyverns unit will always be a place you can turn to. You have only 1 minute to decide. What you decide will be final. You stay, you are a Wyvern. You leave, you are not. You can come back if you want to. Make your decision because there's no turning back."_

 _As soon as he spoke the words, Suzaku, Monica and Gino stepped forward. "I will fight to the best of my capabilities alongside you, captain!"_

 _He smiled as everyone spoke similar words and no one left the room._

XXXXXXXXXX

"You know, you could be a very good actor if you wanted to." Euphie commented as a small party was held for the formation of the Wyverns.

"Shut up." "I think you should write some speeches for Sister to give on some occasions."

"No. I will not."

"But really, did you say all of that on the spot?"

"Yeah why?"

"Because I felt like it was extremely charismatic and it could sway people over to your side."

He laughed and retorted as the party went by.

XXXXXXXXXX

He was sat in his cockpit as the Wyverns gathered in the hangar.

"You're late, Leonhardt. Give me 25 push-ups."

"Wait what?! But why?"

"Or would you prefer sparring with me?"

He immediately dropped down, doing the push-ups.

"Now, I will establish the rules we will have in the unit.

You will not refer to me by any titles. I have a name so use it. During missions, you will be given codenames. You will refer to me as such. I will also use your first names to refer to you. If any of you have a problem with that, you can tell me.

All members will undergo training and sparring sessions with me to gauge their strength.

All Knightmare pilots will undergo physical training and will practise and learn some type of martial art they prefer. All of you will be trained in the use of weapons and in the art of unarmed combat. It is mandatory, no exceptions.

All Knightmare battles will be fought in simulators so as to not damage your KMF.

There will not be any personal issues between you that will be brought in a fight. You have any issues, solve them yourselves. Don't let them hold you back in a battle.

I expect cooperation between all members of the unit. I would like to make this unit something akin to a family, so help each other.

All members will stay in this mansion. You plan something else, cancel it. You live somewhere else, pack your bags.

All KMF will undergo a regular maintenance check. If their KMF is found to be damaged, the pilot will not be in the field until their KMF is repaired. I would like to keep the safety of the pilots above everything else and faulty maintenance is something I will not allow.

You are acting on my orders. Anyone else tells you otherwise, disregard them. They give you trouble, send them to me. The only one you will answer to is your leader, any person I have appointed as my substitute, the Chief General, the Prime Minister, the Knight of One or the Emperor. Anyone else orders you, don't follow their orders.

Our unit will have a priority in the upgrades in technology, mainly in KMF. Use this chance wisely and have your Knightmares upgraded or get a new one built.

During a mission, my word is final. You will not argue against it. This is not a democracy. This is the military. I am your commanding officer and you are my subordinates during battle and you will follow my orders as such.

These are all the rules. That will be all for now. I am appointing Suzaku as my assistant for the martial art training. You are free to do whatever you want. Dismissed."

He went back to working on his Knightmare, configuring the OS and weapons.

"Oh and before I forget, we are going to Osaka Settlement in 1 week and Cornelia and Euphie are accompanying us."

He then continued fine tuning his Knightmare, testing it for any errors in its programming.

XXXXXXXXXX

Euphie ran out of the Granberry as soon as the airship landed and Hikaru stopped her in his Dragoon.

"Okay, the flight system is working well."

He landed the Dragoon Wyvern next to the Granberry and got out of the Knightmare, the metal gleaming in the sun.

Euphie looked at the Knightmare in awe. The machine was black in colour with blue eyes and a mouth on its face, which hid the flamethrower. There were flamethrowers installed in the hands as well, hidden from view. There were cannons in the arms and the Slash Harkens were improved, stronger and more versatile, also being flame-resistant. The MVS Claws were also improved and there were missile launchers added in the arms and legs, which made it more versatile, along with the flamethrowers being improved. The new addition was the Dragoon's wings, which enabled flight at a high speed. There was also an experimental **Hadron Cannon** on the wings, which proved to be destructive in the simulations. Overall, the Dragoon Wyvern was the end game unit.

"But, being able to stabilise the Blaze Luminous with plasma to form wings and also perfect the Hadron Cannon, you could make a living as a scientist if you ever wanted to."

"Not me. It was Rei. She was the one who did the work and the formulae and everything. I just added the final touches to them. That's all."

He jumped down from the cockpit.

"Euphie, I told you to be careful." Cornelia scolded. "Who knows what may happen?"

The rest of the Wyverns exited the airship and they proceeded to the exit.

Their Knightmares were being brought in a trailer, apart from the Dragoon, which was being piloted by Hikaru. As they reached their base of operations, a big explosion shook the ground.

"What?!"

Explosions shook the city of Osaka as screams filled the city, the fires burning as a sign of death. "No way! The Kenshiki!" He manoeuvred the Dragoon to the ground, guarding the Wyverns.

" _Everyone, you alright?"_ He received affirmatives in answer.

'Someone must have leaked the information that we would be arriving today. They could easily mask this as the terrorist attack and kill us.'

He flew up, using the Dragoon's sensor. 'Those bastards! There is a small amount of sakuradite in these things!'

He got a hold of the military and directed the bomb disposal squads.

" _Cornelia, we have a mole. It seems that someone leaked information of our arrival to the terrorists. We need to regroup the military."_

XXXXXXXXXX

"This much destruction… And for what?"

"It doesn't matter, Oldrin. We need to kill these guys and rescue Euphie, Suzaku and Monica."

His face showed worry for his friends. "Don't worry. I think they are alright."

"Yeah."

XXXXXXXXXX

She cut the ropes with the hidden knife she had and broke free.

"Hidden knives?" "Something Hikaru taught me. And these scum did not even check us for weapons. I have about 10 knives with me. And some metal wire."

"I see. You are different from Suzaku."

The brown haired boy looked offended at that comment.

"What does that mean?!"

"She's different from you, Suzaku, that's all."

The blonde broke free, using the knife to cut the ropes binding the two.

"Let's go, Kururugi, Your Highness."

XXXXXXXXXX

He was still in his pilot suit, a calm and determined look on his face.

"People of Area 11, I am Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon of Britannia and the leader of advanced strike unit Wyverns. Today, we witnessed the Osaka Settlement get bombed by the Kenshiki Faction. Lots of innocent lives, both Britannian and Eleven, were lost as a result. Now, I ask, what is the meaning of their actions? What do they hope to accomplish by killing innocents? I will not stand by and see this happen before my eyes."

XXXXXXXXXX

The blonde looked around the corner and narrowed her eyes as she noticed a guard patrolling the hallway. She readied a knife and threw it with precision, the knife lodging itself in the man's skull. She retrieved her knife, cleaning the blade.

"It's clear." Suzaku proceeded to bring Euphie around the corner, grimacing at the sight of the dead body.

"Let's go. We should find a way to contact Hikaru." "Yeah."

XXXXXXXXXX

"I will not stand by and watch as terrorists run free in our nation. Remember this, Kenshiki. You have made a mistake by angering me and the punishment for that is death. You have started a war by killing innocents. You brought a war to us. And we'll retaliate. I will have down divine retribution. Carve this into your heart with fear. This is the WYVERNS' DIVINE RETRIBUTION! ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"

XXXXXXXXXX.

"Okay. We have an estimated location of their base and the search area is large. The Dragoon is undamaged. The other Knightmares are all damaged from the explosions, except the Leviathan. So, we have essentially two Knightmares at our disposal. Thankfully, both the Dragoon and the Leviathan are advanced frames able to defeat many Glasgows, Sutherlands and Gloucesters easily. And both of us are skilled pilots."

"What's our battle strength?"

"The Dragoon Wyvern and the Leviathan."

"That's a problem. And as you say, the search area is large."

"Thankfully, I prepare for such situations. I have a tracker in the gifts that I give to Euphie. And fortunately, she's wearing both the bracelet and the necklace that I gave her."

He took his phone and showed a map. There were two dots on the same location. "This is the location of where those trackers are. Best case, she has both of them. Worst case, she lost both of them."

"Thank God!" Cornelia sighed in relief as she looked at the map.

Hikaru turned towards the Dragoon, throwing the Leviathan's key towards Gino.

"We are moving. Get ready."

He stocked up on his knives and took some guns too.

"Cornelia, you guys follow us. Establish a perimeter around the area. Your Knightmares are not too damaged, so, establish a perimeter. Then move in once we give the signal."

"Alright."

He entered the cockpit and started his Knightmare, the blue wings flaring up, and he flew up, going towards the mountain.

Gino's Leviathan followed him, the two draconic Knightmares flying towards the base of the Kenshiki.

" _Gino, if something happens to me, do whatever you can to save those three and then leave. Don't wait for me. If it's too risky, destroy the Dragoon. We can't risk the Dragoon falling into the hands of terrorists. If we do, they won't be stopped. You understand?"_

" _Yes." "Hey, what's with that tone? It's just the worst case scenario. Don't worry. I won't die." "Alright."_

XXXXXXXXXX

The blonde struggled as she was grabbed by two men, Euphie and Suzaku being held like her. "Let go of me, you imbeciles!"

A man appeared their in field of view, his yellow eyes gleaming dangerously, his spiked black hair making him look dangerous and insane.

"Eh? So these two are the mice that have been running around in my hideout?"

He grabbed a fistful of her hair, pulling her head up painfully.

Blue eyes glared at the man in front of her, the man's eyes widening joyfully as he laughed. "Finally! Someone who can stand up to me… I will have fun breaking you."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru looked at the base, the red dots on the map blinking repeatedly. _"This is it."_

" _Yeah. Hikaru, what should we do?" "Gino, use the Hadron Cannons and fire at the base."_

" _Are you sure? I mean.." "Don't worry. Set the power output to Level 6 and fire at the top of the base."_

" _Alright."_

Two red beams hit the base as explosions rocked the base.

" _Now, Gino. I'll charge in. You destroy the turrets and the other defences surrounding the base."_

" _Roger."_

The Dragoon Wyvern disappeared in a burst of speed, leaving a blue afterimage. Gino started destroying the defences around the base, the attacks creating explosions and rocking the base.

XXXXXXXXXX

The ground shook from the attacks. Suddenly, the doors were blasted open as a shot of energy burst through it, the red energy shots going through the doors, destroying the base.

'Okay. The sensors are not picking up any signs of Euphie, Monica or Suzaku so they are not in the way of the Hadron Cannon. But they may still be in danger.'

He then flew in, the claws shredding any obstacles to pieces. The Dragoon moved in, the alarms on the sensors blaring as they picked up the trackers.

'Euphie!' He immediately turned towards the signal, finding sets of doors and many men, tanks and Knightmares blocking his way.

" _Get out of my way!"_ He roared as he fired the Hadron Cannon, the red beam of destruction blasting through the obstacles. The doors soon started to be blown away and he caught a glimpse of blonde and pink.

Suddenly, the Hadron blasts disappeared from view. Standing before him was a man in his early twenties, his black hair waving about from the wind, partially obscuring his yellow gleaming eyes, a cruel smirk on his face.

The Black Dragon gasped as he looked at the scene. The man was holding Euphie and Monica hostage with a knife to their necks, Suzaku being restrained by ropes.

'Damn!'

" _Who are you?"_ "We meet at last, Black Dragon of Britannia. I am the head of the serpent, Kei Mikoto, at your service."

His growl was heard audibly.

" _Release my comrades immediately and I promise you that you will be treated fairly as prisoners."_

"I don't believe that you are in any position to make demands here, Dragon. I will ask this of you. I will release all three of these people in exchange for you. Step out of that Knightmare and I'll let these three go safely. My men will not fire at them. You can also take your Knightmare back too. I don't care about that piece of metal. And in exchange for you, I am also willing to surrender all my men to you. What do you say? It's not a pretty bad deal is it? 1 for 2 of your men, a princess and all of the men in the most dangerous terrorist organisation in Osaka. You have only 10 seconds to decide before I execute the cute little blonde here. Your time starts... now."

The cockpit immediately slid open as the young General exited the Dragoon. He jumped down from his Knightmare. He smiled reassuringly at Monica, stopping to ruffle her hair and gave a small hug to Euphie before talking to Suzaku. "Protect them, Suzaku."

He then walked towards Kei, glaring at him. "Leave, Monica. Get in the Dragoon and leave the base. That is an order. And tell Gino to deploy the blue chaff smoke. Once everyone is taken into custody, only then will you reveal what happened to me."

"Hey, I don't care what happens to these idiots, you know."

"Perfect. Monica, once they are taken into custody, lock them in a room and then have them executed." "Yes, General." Her voice was sad and depressed.

"You know, you could take me into custody right now." He drawled out. "Don't joke. I saw what happened back then."

"Oh! Really?"

"You stopped a Hadron Cannon with your hands or at least with your bare hands. That was what it looked like. So, even if I try to take you into custody, it will end in failure. I at least want my friends to be safe. And if it means that I have to die, then I will die gladly."

The black haired man laughed at his words as he pulled a detonator out of his pockets. He pressed the button just as he was knocked out, the last thing he heard a big explosion.

XXXXXXXXXX

Gino stared at the exploding base in despair, the Dragoon behind his frame. 'Don't die on

me, Hikaru.'

" _All forces, this is Gino Weinberg, second-in-command of the Wyverns. Return to base. I repeat, all forces, return to base."_

XXXXXXXXXX

"Pretty impressive, Black Dragon. You haven't uttered a single scream in all the time I tortured you."

"Say, who was it that gave you that power? Your Geass? Was it a green-haired woman, with yellow eyes?"

"Ho you know about Geass huh?"

"Yeah."

"Well since you will be executed publicly anyway, I will tell you. It was a green haired woman. CC, I think. I need to thank her for this power though. Just with this power, I became invincible. Once I find her, I will kill her slowly to show my gratitude."

'This guy is INSANE. And he is a guy of his words. He will telecast the event where he kills me, live. That's my best chance to escape. I am already healing anyway. But, really, to think all I had to do was accept my other self? Geass sure is a dangerous power.' His eyes turned heterochromic, a ring of yellow appearing around his pupils.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Euphie! Are you safe?!"

Gino was conflicted as he looked at the Wyverns, their faces searching for their leader.

"Gino Weinberg, where's Hikaru?"

He didn't answer Guilford's question, his eyes showing anger at himself.

"Hikaru was captured by the leader of the Kenshiki, Kei Mikoto in exchange for the three of us and the members of the Kenshiki, whom were killed in the subsequent explosion caused by Kei." Monica reported in a cold voice, squashing her feelings.

Any discussion was interrupted as the TV flared to life, showing Kei and Hikaru, the latter chained to a wall. He was stabbed multiple times, the blood clearly staining his white clothes. There were multiple knives in his body, making him look extremely weak from the amount of knives and the pain inflicted on him.

'Hikaru?' Gino looked at the young General on the screen. 'No, he's changed. He doesn't appear scared or pained in the least. And is his hair white at the ends?'

He looked puzzled as Kei started speaking.

" _All the people of the world, I am Kei Mikoto, the leader of the Kenshiki Faction and soon to be king of the world. Listen to my declaration. Now, at this moment, all the people in the world will be able to see and hear my words. Now, I present to you the newest specimen we have here. This is Hikaru Alaina, a General in the army of Britannia and the famed Black Dragon of Britannia. Yes, he has fallen before me. Now, you will watch as he is tortured and broken by me and will beg me to kill him. The whole world will watch as he screams in agony, begging me to end his life. You will be the witness to my spectacle!"_

XXXXXXXXXX

"That bastard!"

'Hikaru? How is he there? And why is he captured?' Zero thought as he looked at the chained teen, his body stabbed with knives.

Kallen was looking conflicted as she looked at the broadcast.

XXXXXXXXXX

"That is too horrible." A violet haired girl said as she looked at the broadcast in pity.

"Though he is supposed to be our enemy, I can't help but feel pity on him. He's so young. He's at our age, Anna. But this is war they are facing. Such events are inevitable." A blond girl said as she looked at the broadcast.

"But Leila, this is still…"

A blue haired young man looked at the broadcast with no emotion, his blue eyes looking calmly at the blue haired teen. 'That guy.. He somehow feels different from the rest of the guys.'

The members of W-0 watched as the black haired man pulled out one of the knives lodged in his body, stabbing him again.

XXXXXXXXXX

"NO! HIKARU!" Rivalz shouted as he looked at his friend being stabbed repeatedly, being tortured for the sake of being tortured.

Milly Ashford watched with conflicted eyes, her friend tortured and she could do nothing but watch.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Knights of the Round watched as he was tortured.

"Wasn't he the one who defeated Lord Waldstein?"

The Knight of One watched with an emotionless face.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Gino, where are you going?!"

"Get out of my way! I can't stand and watch as my brother is tortured!"

The blonde teenager punched the males blocking his way and entered the Leviathan, the black frame roaring to life.

"Stop there Weinberg! I am ordering you as Second Princess of the Empire, to step down from your Knightmare!"

"I refuse!"

Suddenly, the Knightmare stopped as the energy dropped. He punched the console in anger.

XXXXXXXXXX

The tortured teen stayed silent, not even a gasp escaping his lips.

"Hmm.. You are not screaming at all… This is no fun. I guess I should kill you after all."

He produced a gun from his trench coat, aiming it at his heart. "Goodbye."

XXXXXXXXXX

"NOOOO!"

Many people screamed as he pulled the trigger, the blood staining his shirt red as he fell limp.

The man on screen laughed crazily.

" _I have killed your Dragon, Britannia. This is the day you fall. Heed my words, for today marks the day of the beginning of my reign!"_

" _ **Hey!"**_ A demonic sounding voice was heard as the chains snapped, the blue haired teenager disappearing suddenly.

He reappeared behind Kei, all the knives lodged in his body now in his hands. His hands moved at inhuman speeds, screams of pain being heard later as the knives were lodged in Kei's body and removed again, being stabbed a moment later.

" _ **I am not dead yet!"**_

The screams of pain continued as he was stabbed again and again.

" _ **How does it feel? Do you want me to stop?"**_

Screams of "YES! STOP IT!" resounded in their ears as the black haired man writhed on the ground in pain, clutching his wounds.

" _ **You know, I was shot in the heart when I was 10, I think. I survived that. You think I can't survive this torture and another bullet to the heart? Think again."**_

The sound of bones snapping was heard clearly.

A bad memory resurfaced in Milly's head as an image of a younger Hikaru standing over some older teenagers with their limbs broken painfully appeared in her mind.

"No.. Don't do it.. Stop, Hikaru." She whispered with fear.

XXXXXXXXXX

" **Say, you know what happens when I stab this knife in here? I will be able to sever your tendons here and also cause great pain to you. Do you want me to do that? I would like to avoid it if I can."**

He pulled out a gun and aimed it at his leg and fired. 3 more shots were fired, all shots hitting the man in the limbs.

He dragged the man on the ground and threw him against the wall. He faced the camera as he aimed the gun at his head.

" **I told you right? I would hand out divine retribution to all those who commit evil and that includes you, Kei Mikoto. This is the end for you."**

XXXXXXXXXX

A whimper escaped her lips as the gunshot sounded. Milly looked in fear at Hikaru's face, it was twisted in a sadistic smirk, scaring her, the eyes gleaming dangerously.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _People of the world, hear my words. I will not fall to evil and neither will Britannia. As long as I am alive, I will hand down divine retribution to evil and destroy it. We will not fall!_

 _ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"_

XXXXXXXXXX

The broadcast ended as the feed disappeared.

"He-he planned this?" Monica asked in shock.

"No. This is just like Hikaru. Last time, he got captured once. And they tried to torture him for information. He gave them false info and lead them into an ambush. He was able to escape and contacted me about the ambush. That was the decisive victory that won us the war. He has always been resistant to torture."

'And his scars too. He would be covered in scars if all his wounds made scars. But he had an extremely high rate of healing and most of his wound healed without any treatment, not leaving many scars. Only the wounds which required treatment left scars and even those are many. But this time, it looked like all his injuries were starting to heal on his own. I wonder what happened to him.'

"Anyway, let's be glad that he's safe."

Gino went to the Dragoon and entered its cockpit, opening a communication with Hikaru and then went to his location, bringing the boy back to base.

 **The next day**

He entered the clubhouse, finding the blonde student council president in the ballroom, alone.

"Hello Prez. Long time no see, I guess."

She turned around and hugged him immediately, tearing up.

"You idiot! You told me that you wouldn't get into any trouble! Idiot! Idiot!" She punched him in the chest lightly.

He wrapped his arms around her and whispered, "Sorry, Big Sis."

He pulled out of the hug and looked into her eyes, and leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"I will live, Milly. I promised Rei and you that I would live no matter what. And I intend to keep that promise, no matter what happens."

She was still crying and he wiped away her tears. "Don't cry. You look beautiful when you are smiling, Big Sis."

"Idiot." She hugged him again and they separated. "Don't scare me like that again."

He laughed and ruffled her hair, making her pout. "I can't promise you that, Big Sis. I will have to take extremely unpleasant actions in my missions."

"You have to do that?"

"Don't worry. I won't die. I tortured some guys because they were about to kill Euphie and also because they killed Tsurara. And it was something which was extremely cruel of me. But that is a side of me which I have accepted. I need to accept all of me if I want to protect you and the others. So I can't be conflicted. I promise that I will stay the same younger brother I was."

She hugged him again. "You better keep that promise." "I will. Trust me, Big Sis."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Wyverns, now our primary target, the Kenshiki Faction has been eliminated. We will now proceed with the elimination of some other terrorists groups based around Osaka and Kagoshima. Then we will move towards Hokkaido. Is that clear?"

"Yes!"

"Good. You are free to do what you want for this week as we return to Tokyo. There is no intel about any terrorists activities right now. And we can easily move to Osaka now that the Granberry is fully repaired."

He then walked towards the dojo, Suzaku, Gino and Monica following him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is it ready?"

" _Yes, Hikaru."_

A girl at the same age as him and a man who looked to be in his 40s looked at him as the girl winked at him.

"Thanks, Lenard, Mariel. I need that Hadron Cannon and that Florence as quick as possible."

" _No problem, Hikaru. We are coming to Area 11 next week. We will meet you there."_

"Anyway, how is **Genesis** doing?"

" _The group is doing good."_

"That's good to hear. And before you ask, I am alright."

A buzzing sound interrupted them as he picked up his phone.

"Yeah." He frowned as he answered. "I am coming there."

He looked at the concerned faces of the girl and the man and smiled at them.

"It's nothing. Just work. I need to go. Bye."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Again?"

"Yeah. And they planned this it seems. This time, they know that some important people are there. There was some meeting being held there."

"Okay, Gino. Can you contact Milly?"

"Um okay."

He frowned as no one answered. "She's not lifting."

"Wait. What was the place again?"

"A party and a meeting in the same building."

"Check all the attendees of the party."

 **2 minutes later**

"Oh shit!"

"What happened?"

"Milly Ashford and her parents are also attending. And that Student Council girl, Stadtfeld, her parents are there too. Along with other major nobles in the area."

He cursed as he called Shirley. "Shirley, it's me. Is Milly there?"

" _No, Hikaru. I am watching the news right now! Nina is there too! The building is-"_ "I know, I'm heading there. I'll call you later." He hung up and put his phone in his pocket.

He went to the Dragoon and jumped inside the cockpit, ready to launch.

"Hikaru, stop. We can't do this like the previous one. These guys are better equipped than the previous guys at Kawaguchi. Though the conditions are the same as Kawaguchi, the enemies are better equipped in this case. Calm down."

"I know. But…"

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's Zero. Zero has appeared."

"What?"

He looked at the screen which showed a feed of Zero standing on the top of a news van.

He watched as Zero talked with Cornelia and the Knightmares moved, letting the news van pass.

'She's letting him pass?'

XXXXXXXXXX

"What do you want to achieve my this act?"

"I want the world to know that the Japanese are not dead. Like Lt Col Kusakabe, I want to prove to the world that the Japanese are not dead yet."

Zero looked at him and then at Euphemia who was at the door.

"You are hopeless." A slot of the mask over his left eye opened and he said. **"Die."**

The man pulled out his sword and stabbed himself.

A few minutes later, an explosion followed and the building started to collapse.

XXXXXXXXXX

A boat was floating on the lake and lights appeared on the stern, where Zero was standing with several individuals in black and wearing visors.

"People, fear us or seek us. We are the BLACK KNIGHTS! We are the shield of those who hold no weapons. All the hostages are safe. I return them to you unharmed. The JLF killed innocent civilians in a cowardly manner and thus I have punished them. The previous Viceroy Clovis was like that too and thus he was slain by me. I do not repudiate battle on a fair ground but I will not tolerate a one-sided massacre of the weak by the strong. The only ones who should kill are those prepared to be killed. Wherever the strong abuse their power and hurt the weak, wes shall appear and hand justice. Those without power, seek us! Those with power, fear us! We, the Black Knights, will be the ones to judge the world!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru launched the Dragoon as soon as he spotted Milly and Euphie. The dragon flew towards the boat and floated on the water as he jumped down from his cockpit and towards the boat.

"Milly, are you alright?!"

She was taken aback as he hugged her, letting her go a few moments later as she replied that she was fine.

He led her out of the boat and towards a special escort boat that was with him. He led her and her parents to the boat and entered the Dragoon, searching for any surviving terrorists.

He then followed the boat in the Dragoon and then landed as Gino brought Euphie in the Leviathan.

XXXXXXXXXX

"The JLF will pay for this."

His eyes were burning with anger as he dismounted the Dragoon, the eyes of the Knightmare now glowing blue.

His eyes were heterochromic again for a second before changing back to the blue colour. He looked at Milly for any injuries and then talked to her. "Milly, I want you to inform me if you are going to these parties from next time. I will have Gino or Monica accompany you."

"You don't have to d-" "I'm not losing you like I lost Rei!" "Alright." She sighed.

XXXXXXXXXX

He entered the clubhouse, Gino and Monica following him, as he greeted Milly and Suzaku who were in the Student Council office. "Where's Lelouch?" "He's out on some errands." "Oh okay then."

Gino looked around the place and then went to the table, glancing at the work and becoming excited. "A giant pizza?"

Hikaru went to a chair and took a stack of papers, arranging them like he usually did.

"I am taking a break anyway. So I'll do something which I used to do."

He was finished in 15 minutes.

Suzaku stared at the big stack of paper in awe. "How did you finish all that in 15 minutes?"

"I am a general, Suzaku. And being in the army is not just Knightmares and fighting. I have to do paperwork too. And compared to that, this is easy."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is that my Knightmare?"

"Yes Monica. That is your Knightmare, the Florence. It was made from a captured **Alexander** from the events in the EU. I was able to fight and defeat them with the help of the **Knights of Michael**. This Alexander is a spoil of war from that time. I was thinking on what to do about it and got this prepared. It has a transformable mode 'Insect Mode' along with an extra pair of legs and also has a float unit equipped. It also has a Hadron Cannon installed but it may take some energy to use. So use it carefully."

"Yes, I will!"

XXXXXXXXXX

He sighed tiredly as he looked at his visitors. 'Really? How the hell did they make such good friends with the Wyverns that quickly?'

He went to the living room, carrying drinks, watching them as they watched movies together.

"So, why are you here?"

"We had a project. We were supposed to collect information and if possible, interview a famous member of the army. Since we knew you, we were thinking of interviewing you."

"Really Milly? You expect me to believe that?"

"Yes."

"Fine. Is it for extra credit?"

"Partially. This is more fun than going to the ghetto, now that they are partially destroyed."

"Fine, I believe you only because Shirley won't lie about such things, especially to me."

"Good."

XXXXXXXXXX

He looked at the interview.

" **Hello and thank you for agreeing to give this interview."**

" **It's alright. Ask away."**

" **First, you are a General, correct?"**

" **Yes."**

" **And you announced in the media the other day that you were the leader of the Wyverns. What is this group?"**

" **The Wyverns is, as I mentioned, an elite group consisting of ace pilots to combat terrorism, especially in Area 11."**

" **Can you tell us more about this group?"**

" **Not much. I cannot reveal the names of the members, for security reasons. But we are an elite unit and answer only to the Royal Family, the Knight of One and the Emperor. We are in the military but at the same time not in it."**

" **So, you are a special unit separate from the regular military?"**

" **Correct."**

" **Also, can you tell us about the Knightmares your group uses?"**

" **I can only tell you about my Knightmare, as it was seen in action along with the Knightmare of my second-in-command."**

" **That's alright. We understand that this is risky for your group as well."**

" **My Knightmare is the Dragoon, it's an advanced Knightmare frame that is the flag unit of the Wyverns. It is the most powerful Knightmare currently and has, as you have seen, highly destructive capabilities, along with superior flight technology and shielding. It is also equipped with highly customised weapons and an advanced OS. The Leviathan is similar to the Dragoon, but it is slightly different in appearance and the weapons. It is also different in the OS. Both the Dragoon and the Leviathan are funded by me and custom built and tailored to our needs. They are currently the most advanced Knightmares in the unit."**

" **That's surprising. Are they really that strong?"**

" **Yes. They are able to easily destroy buildings at full power."**

" **I understand. What is the risk level of the group's missions?"**

" **The risk level is high, of course. But our unit is equipped with advanced Knightmares and all the pilots are also trained in self-defense, so the risk level is significantly reduced. And we gather intel before any mission, therefore the risk is almost nil."**

" **So, the missions are relatively safe?"**

" **The danger is present, but with cooperation, we have been able to complete our missions with 0 casualties."**

" **That's good to hear. Can you tell us about the recent bombings in Osaka and the Lake Sakuragawa incident?"**

" **Sure. We have already confirmed that the bombings in Osaka were due to the actions of the Kenshiki Faction, which has already been eliminated. And the threat of the Kenshiki Faction is no more. The Sakuragawa incident was caused by members of the JLF, following the actions of Lt Col Kusakabe in the Kawaguchi incident. Fortunately, no innocent lives were lost. We are still investigating as to the involvement of the group that calls themselves the Black Knights, and their goals that they planned to achieve during the Sakuragawa incident. Though we are thankful to them for aiding in the rescue of the hostages, their intentions are still being investigated."**

" **About the recent actions of Refrain and the involvement of the Black Knights, what do you have to say?"**

" **I will say that their intentions were good in clearing the Refrain drug cartels. But we do not know their intentions for sure and are still looking into the possibility of the Black Knights aligning themselves with the drug dealers themselves or abusing Refrain. This is still being looked into and I cannot say anymore than that."**

" **About your next course of actions, what can you tell about that?"**

" **We will be hunting down more terrorist organisations in Area 11. That is all I can reveal, due to security reasons."**

" **Thank you. That will be all. Thank you for agreeing to spend your valuable time and giving us an interview."**

" **That's alright."**

XXXXXXXXXX

"You know, Milly, it felt like a real interview. You did a good job."

"Thanks."

"Now, I expect you to not crash here."

"What? But we were planning a sleepover." She whined playfully.

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Finally, finished with this chapter. I really need to get some ideas by the time my exams are finished so that I can get back to writing again. The deal with the Kenshiki was short because Kei is a bit like Lelouch, as he does not care about his men and will kill them so that they won't hold him back. And he's also insane too.**

 **Next chapter will contain the scene of Hikaru obtaining control over Geass and also his conversation with CC. The next chapter will also contain the starting point of the Battle of Narita. I may or may not publish the next chapter in this month. I will publish a new chapter after March 3rd week, that's for sure. I have my exams (Goddamn real world problems!) Anyway, read and review...**


	7. Chapter 7

**This is Hikaru, back with another chapter. I apologise for the last chapter being very short but I didn't have time. And I was experiencing writer's block for some time. Anyway, this chapter will also contain the scene where Hikaru controls his Geass and also his talk with Leila Malcal, in Castle Lubopianco, for negotiations. They will then defect to Hikaru's squad. Narita will stay the same, cause Hikaru will be in the EU along with Gino and the other Wyverns will be in Kagoshima and Hokkaido. Only Suzaku will be staying here.**

 **And, as you have noticed, I have accelerated the events of Akito the Exiled and Oz the Reflection and placed them before R1 and also improved the technology, the Hadron Cannons being available before the Gawain's appearance. It will be explained in this chapter, with Julius Kingsley being a real person instead of Lelouch's alter ego and a different Knight of Seven, Knight of Three and Knight of Twelve. I will try to explain everything as clearly as I can.**

 **Chapter 6**

 **The W-0**

 **Castle Lubopianco, Border between France and Italy, Europia United**

He stepped out of the Dragoon, followed by Gino. He put a hand on his katana and Gino armed his gun, as they walked towards the doors. He was greeted by a blonde and a blue haired young man. "Commander Leila Malcal and Lt. Akito Hyuga."

"General Hikaru Alaina and Lt General Gino Weinberg, welcome to Castle Lubopianco."

"Thank you for agreeing for negotiations."

They entered the big castle, the Dragoon and Leviathan standing outside the big gates, their Blaze Luminous shields active and also set on remote activation.

They followed the two EU officers into the inner rooms of the castle, armed guards walking behind the two Wyverns. He smirked as his Geass activated, his hair becoming a bit spiked, noticed only by Gino. A small electric spark formed at his fingers as he remembered the conversation he had in his mind.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Where am I?"_

" _You are in your mindscape or your inner conscious, you could say."_

 _He turned around, coming face to face with himself, only with his eyes heterochromic and his hair white. "Who are you?"_

" _I am your alter ego. Your other self, so to speak, formed from your mother's Geass and her desire to protect you."_

" _WHAT?!"_

" _Yes. I am you. I take over you when you blackout and save you, usually by using the Geass. I am the one who controls your Geass."_

" _Is it true then? Geass?"_

" _Yeah. And your mother's Geass is the reason why your's is different from the rest."_

" _My mother? I guess she's still protecting me even after she passed away, huh?"_

 _He looked at his eyes in the water on the ground, surprised at finding them heterochromic._

" _What is happening?"_

" _I am slowly becoming you. You are accepting the darkness inside you and turning it into light. That means you are accepting me and then I will become you. You will then be able to control your Geass at will. Then you will possess control over lightning, being able to generate it with your hands and control what you generate. You will also have improved speed, reflexes, strength and perception."_

" _I understand." He answered as the memories of his alter ego flowed into him._

" _Thanks for saving Rei and Tsurara."_

" _Yeah. I cared about them too. But sorry."_

" _No, it's alright. And it was you who saved me when I was injured all that time right?"_

" _Yeah. And your mother's love."_

" _Thanks."_

" _Well, I'm going then. Don't die, Hikaru. And don't fear your power, only embrace it. Then only can you control it."_

" _Thanks." His alter ego disappeared completely and his eyes turned heterochromic completely._

 _He used his Geass and altered his eyes, changing them back to blue._

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Gino."

"Yeah?" They whispered to each other, in a low voice only they could hear.

"I need to tell you something. I trust that you will tell no one of this secret. No one except me knows this."

"You can trust me, Hikaru."

He laughed slightly and continued, "I'm sure that you noticed already. About how I heal abnormally fast and also my inhuman reflexes and speed at times."

"Yeah. What about it?"

"I have a power, Gino. Geass. It is a strange power. I don't know how I gained it. But what I know is my mother also had Geass and it was due to this power that I am alive and also the reason for all these healing and reflexes."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I see. Then, how did you come to know about this?"

"At times when I blacked out, my alter ego would take over and save me. That was when my Geass activated. It's activated permanently now. My other self was hiding my eyes all this time so that they appeared blue but they are actually heterochromic. I can also control lightning now. Generate it from by body."

"I see."

"You not surprised?"

"I always thought something was going on."

"I knew that you were thinking something. You were always like that."

Hikaru's heterochromic eyes turned to their true colour.

"You know, I really trust you, Hikaru. You were my first true friend, Hikaru."

"I trust you too, Gino."

XXXXXXXXXX

He thanked the lilac haired girl with a smile and took the offered cup of coffee, taking a sip.

"Which beans do you use, Miss? This tastes very tasty."

"Ah! Please call me Anna."

Leila glared at him lightly. 'He has Anna as support right now, establishing himself as a kind and friendly person.'

"Um, are you alright? You were on that broadcast a few weeks back."

"Thank you for your concern, Anna. I'm completely fine. He made a big show but he wasn't able to hurt me seriously."

"That's a relief."

Hikaru looked around the room, which was a comfortable lounge. Akito Hyuga was standing behind Leila, along with three other people, who were Japanese. 'Ayano Kosaka, Yukiya Naruse and Ryo Sayama.' He noted each of the other people's faces. He was suddenly shocked as he looked at the female pilot. 'No, she's not Rei. Don't let her looks fool you. Rei's dead. Rei's gone. I can't be weak now.'

'Ashley Ashra was a temporary pilot but now he is a traveller. I won't touch him. His and his group's personality is not a good fit for the Wyverns. But I need to look into the **Ahuramazda**. It could prove useful. And the **Vercingetorix** as well.'

One of the pilots, Ryo Sayama, interrupted him.

"You sure are relaxed in here. We are currently enemies you know. We may have mixed something in that coffee."

He smirked and answered evenly. "I am a bit resistant to those things. Whereas it would take 10 seconds for a powerful sedative to take effect, it would take about 10 times the dosage to affect me. So, even if you tried to hurt my friend, I would still be able to move. And that would mean your death. Besides, if we don't return, it would mean that you have either killed us or attacked us and then Britannia will declare war on you. And the amount of sakuradite in our Knightmares is enough to take out the whole castle and also the full surrounding areas, not leaving a single trace. Even then, you would die. So, in any case, if you tried to sedate or poison us, it would result in your deaths. And besides, neither my friend nor I are affected so you haven't tried anything." His smirk widened as the pilot growled.

"Enough, Ryo. They are here to negotiate, not pick fights with you."

"Thank you, Akito."

Hikaru produced a file and handed it to Leila.

"That file contains the terms of the negotiation. We want you to join my unit, the Wyverns, under my command, along with all personnel of the W-0 unit. I would also like to request that your Knightmares also be handed over to us if you agree."

"What the hell do you think you are saying, you fucking Brit?!" "Stop, Ryo!"

"If you decide to not join us, that is agreeable too. You can leave the EU forces and become normal civilians."

"If we disagree, General?"

"Then, if and when we meet in battle, I will show no mercy. If you try and attack us now, all of you will die fruitless deaths. And if you let us leave, we will go without hurting any of you. But I will kill anyone who tries to attack me or my friend. That means especially the hothead itching to punch me. And we have a good idea of your base of operations so it's a win for us and a loss for you. "

A round of gasps echoed while Gino smirked, finishing his cup of coffee and placing it back on the table, Hikaru following soon after.

"I would personally like to not kill some good people if I can avoid it but I may not have a choice."

The two Wyverns looked at the group. Leila stood up, pacing around the room.

"I need some time to decide. Can you please wait in another room?"

"Alright. I hope you take the decision that will benefit all of us, Commander Malcal."

"Thank you. Anna, can you show these men to the guest room and keep them company?"

"Um sure. This way please, follow me."

As they stepped out of the door, Leila turned to the white haired man. "Major Hamel."

"Understood."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru followed Anna, Gino beside him as Oscar Hamel followed them, a hand on his pistol.

"I understand that you were the one who designed the Alexander, Anna."

"Yes."

"Beauty and brains." Gino remarked, making her blush.

She led them to a room and closed the door behind her.

"So, Anna, where are you from?"

"I am from Paris."

"Paris? I would like to see it once, without all the tensions of war."

Gino sat on the sofa and put his hands behind his head as Hikaru walked towards the window, looking at the Dragoon which was visible clearly from their position.

"So, General-"

"Hikaru. Call me Hikaru."

"Hikaru, where are you from?"

"I was born in Paris but raised in Pendragon. Gino is from Pendragon too."

"You are from the EU?"

"No. I am of mixed descent. My predecessors were Britannian, French, German and Japanese."

"Interesting."

He pulled out his phone and opened a file, showing it to the Captain.

"Say, what do you think about this Florence? We modified the Alexander we salvaged and tailored it to the needs of one of our pilots."

"Amazing!"

As she looked at the schematics with awe, he smiled. 'She's Leila Malcal's dear friend. It would be easier for her to agree if her precious friend is on my side.'

Gino sighed as he realised his intentions.

XXXXXXXXXX

"What do we do?"

"We kill them right here and now!"

"Shut it Ryo!"

Akito snapped as he glared at the loudmouth. "This is very important. If we try to kill them, we all die. If we agree, we will be defecting to Britannia and join their military under his command, having to do what he commands. And we disagree, then we face him in battle and we die, he's stronger than all of us combined. And you saw what he did on that broadcast. He can easily kill us without any difficulty."

Leila was still pacing around the room, gritting her teeth.

XXXXXXXXXX

Anna laughed as Hikaru told both of them about Milly's antics. "That's really funny."

"Yeah. Seriously, she made the whole school try and catch you?"

"Yeah."

"How did you escape?"

"That's simple, Anna. I am more athletic than those guys so I ran, slid under hedges, jumped up trees, into buildings, jumped out of a second storey window and then ran again."

She giggled as he continued talking to her.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Hikaru?"

"I used to."

"Used to? Why did you break up?"

"We did not. We loved each other very much."

"Then?"

"I wasn't able to protect her."

She went silent at the implication.

"I'm sorry."

He nodded and took his phone and called a number.

"Cornelia, it's me." A muffled voice spoke on the other end. "No, we're still discussing about it. And you proceed with the Narita plan. We will be late. And Suzaku's Lancelot is still not fully repaired so don't bring him into the field unless absolutely needed. I need to go."

He hung up and then straightened as he received a notification from his Knightmare.

"WHAT?!" He looked out to window to see the Blaze Luminous active. "Someone's attacking!"

Explosions were heard as the castle was attacked and missiles were launched.

"The fuck! Who's attacking?"

Gino looked as the walls started to shake. " **Gardmares** and **Panzer-Hummel** Knightmares."

"There're are Alexanders there too."

"Then?"

Hikaru laughed as he realised what was happening. "It's the EU. Probably General Smilas."

An explosion was sounded as the glass broke and the walls started to develop cracks, breaking apart.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Anna!"

"Damn Brits! Attacking us now!" Ryo growled as they ran to the room where the two Britannians were currently at.

The door was broken down and Leila gasped as she saw the sight. Anna was on the ground, a piece of glass in her arm, Hikaru sitting by her side, his coat removed and a knife in his hand.

"You bastard!" Ryo shouted as Akito took his kodachi, unsheathing it and going to stab him. A hand stopped the blade before it could reach its intended target, as Gino stepped in and stopped Akito and Ryo at the same time. "You don't want to do that." He warned.

"Stay still, Anna." A tearing sound was heard as he ripped the sleeve of his coat and used it as a bandage, removing the glass shard and tying it to stop the blood flow. "Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah but it hurts."

"Don't worry."

He then ordered. "Gino, stand down. And Hyuga, Sayama, refrain from attacking me or my subordinate. I will not refrain from killing you if you do. And someone, take Clement to the medical bay, along with all non-combat personnel. Immediately."

His hardened and cold voice made them all stop as he turned to Leila.

"May I know what this means? I thought this was for negotiation, not attacking and killing us."

"Shut up you Brit! Attacking you? I will kill you right-"

"Shut up, Sayama."

"I would like to know the same, General."

"I personally don't like tactics like distracting and baiting the enemy and then killing them. And I could beat you if I wanted to, so I ain't attacking. And the Knightmares are Gardmares and Paner-Hummels. There're Alexanders too. And I can see a few Glasgows, Sutherlands and Gloucesters too. Those are easy to acquire. As far I know, we don't have any of your Knightmares in our arsenal."

A booming voice announced over the speakers. _"Surrender, Britannians. This is General Smilas of the EU! If you surrender now, you will be treated fairly under the laws of international prisoners."_

"General Smilas?!" Hikaru smirked. 'So they were bait after all.'

He laughed as he realized the situation they were in. "Well then, Gino, I believe negotiations have failed."

The blonde smirked as he realized his friend's plan. "Yeah. So what's the plan?"

"Obviously, we leave. The Dragoon and Leviathan are safe, due to the Blaze Luminous. Then we go back to our work, reporting that negotiations have failed. Then Prince Schneizel will handle the EU front while we continue the mop up work. Area 11 won't cleanse itself, right?"

"Yeah. Let's do that, then."

Leila's eyes widened as she heard their words. 'Oh no! We can't let them leave. We will lose if they leave. And he saved Anna too. And General Smilas also used us as bait.'

She narrowed her eyes as she reached her decision. 'I've decided.'

"General, I have decided."

"Hmm?"

"I would like to accept the negotiations and join your unit along with the whole W-0 unit."

"Leila, what are you saying?!" Yukiya shouted.

"Well then, we accept. As of now, Leila Breisgau and her W-0 unit will be joining the Wyverns unit under my command. Good choice, Leila."

He then turned towards the window as Gino followed him.

"Well, these are your first orders. Breisgau, Hyuga, Kosaka, Naruse, Sayama, all of you deploy in your Alexanders. Warwick and Hamel, you and your squad will take Clement and the others to the medical bay or any other safe place and then prep for evacuation. You will follow my orders. Once all members are safe for evacuation, go to the boats and stay in the lake. Then we will meet up with you. Always stay on the comms. These orders are absolute. Move out!"

He then ordered. "Hyuga, where's the armoury?"

"Why?"

"For some weapons! I don't think it's easy to fight Knightmares and defeat them solo, like you do. So just lead us to the armoury."

He grunted at his answer as they all ran out of the room, Hikaru and Akito in the front and Gino and Yukiya in the back.

They suddenly ran into a group of soldiers who fired their guns at them.

"Duck!"

He threw his knives at the group of soldiers, the knives hitting them and then kicked them.

A pained shout made him turn back to see Ayano shot in her stomach. 'She's going to lose blood fast.'

He immediately composed himself, taking the guns from the EU soldiers and throwing them to Gino and Akito. "Sayama, carry her. To the medical bay, quick!"

Akito led the group to the medical bay. "I trust you have equipment for a blood transfusion, right?"

"Yes!" They were blocked by a group of soldiers who were about to fire at them. "You're in my way." Hikaru said coldly as he disappeared in a sudden burst of speed and appeared behind the group of soldiers, bullets in their heads.

"Let's move."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Kosaka, what's your blood group?"

"AB-"

'The same as Rei. Honestly, I'd say that she was Rei if I didn't know better.' He thought with a small smile.

"Oh shit!" Ryo cursed.

"No one in the unit is the same blood type as her!"

Hikaru said coolly. "That's fortunate."

"What?!" "Cool. I am AB-, the same as her."

He then took a syringe and connected it to a bag and waited as the blood was slowly being transferred to the bag.

"Wait! But you won't be able to-"

"Don't worry. I can pilot the Dragoon easily."

He waited as a generous amount of blood was collected. "That should be enough, I think."

He then gave his new orders. "Kosaka, get treated and stay with the others. You will not pilot a Knightmare with that injury. I won't risk you getting killed under my command. You will evacuate once a safe route has been established. In the meantime, we will destroy the attacking forces."

"But you will need my-"

"No. I don't want to bury anyone that died under my command, someone I love or someone I am friends with." His voice had a sad tone in it. He then turned out the door, Gino following him and the pilots of W-0 followed them."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you."

"For what, Hyuga?"

"For saving Ayano."

"It's alright."

"No. Normally, no one would donate that much blood, especially when we are under attack and we just became allies. We were enemies until then."

"That's alright, Leila."

"You know, both of us were pretty shocked when we saw her. She resembled someone we knew."

Hikaru stayed quiet as he continued towards the armoury, a finger on the trigger.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Seriously?" Yukiya drawled.

"What kind of idiot leaves the armoury untouched?"

"Lucky for us." Gino smirked as they opened the door.

"SMGs and shotguns?" Hikaru threw them to each of the pilots and took a semi-automatic rifle for himself.

"Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Clear."

All the non-combat personnel were now going to the boat hangar, two of them wheeling a box with Takeru Randall in it.

Ayano was moving slowly, holding the bandage at her stomach. 'That guy, why did he help me? Even if he was in danger?'

XXXXXXXXXX

He guarded the door with Gino as the Wyverns strapped up. "Hey Hikaru?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you gonna do about Kosaka?"

"I don't know, Gino. I mean, she looks just like Rei and also has the same voice as her. They're almost similar. I'd say that they were the same person if I didn't know better. And her personality too, she's like Rei."

"Yeah. I was too shocked to move when I saw her."

"But we need to do it, Gino. And besides, even if she looks like Rei, she isn't. I'm thinking about how the others will react. They will think that it's Rei at first."

"I know. I don't want to see their sadness."

"We need to."

They then left for the hangar as the pilots exited the room.

XXXXXXXXXX

He opened the hangar door, a gun trained before him.

"You guys go. We will go towards our Knightmares."

"But-"

"No objections."

Both the Britannians disappeared as they opened communications with each other.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Leila Breisgau, Alexander Valiant, launching!"_

" _Akito Hyuga, Alexander Liberte, launching!"_

" _Yukiya Naruse, Alexander Valiant, launching!"_

" _Ryo Sayama, Alexander Valiant, launching!"_

The four Knightmares launched and spread out, Yukiya providing cover for them as a sniper while Akito and Leila worked together to defeat the enemy forces.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Hikaru, I think it's time to use your Geass."

"Yeah. I would really like to see the Knightmares' circuits shot to hell."

A burst of electricity surrounded him and his hair turned spiky, gaining a white hue as blue lightning danced around him.

Gino whistled as he disappeared and reappeared in the same place, simultaneous explosions occurring as multiple EU Knightmares were destroyed.

"Let's go."

The two Wyverns ran to their Knightmares and then entered the cockpits.

" _Dragoon Wyvern, launching!"_

" _Leviathan, launching!"_

XXXXXXXXXX

Two shadows descended on them as the two Knightmares descended on the enemy forces, firing their Hadron Cannons and destroying the EU forces.

Yukiya looked at the Leviathan and Dragoon in awe. The Leviathan was blue and black in colour with a draconic appearance, it's eyes glowing blue. It had similar armaments as the Dragoon, except for the lack of the MVS Claws and the katana, instead possessing a chokuto. It also possessed a **Diffusion Structure Phase Transition Cannon** in its chest.

Gino then said, _"Impressed?"_

Hikaru then used the flamethrowers on the EU, blue flames burning the enemy Knightmares. _"Gene Smilas, I want to know. Were the W-0 unit just bait?"_

A laugh sounded across the speakers as he answered. _"Bait? Whatever do you mean?"_

" _Is this justice then? Because using your own men as bait is, I guess, evil."_

" _There is no justice or evil. Bait is just bait."_

" _Heh? Really? They are just bait? You guys hear that?"_

He then turned towards the EU's command center and fired a single missile at the vehicle.

The Eclipse slashed through the forces blocking his way and destroyed the command center.

The Dragoon and Leviathan used their flamethrowers at them, destroying the Gardmares and Panzer-Hummels. The Leviathan fired its transition cannon at the Alexanders and destroyed them without any trace.

" _All forces of the EU, this is Hikaru Alaina of the Wyverns. Surrender and you shall be treated fairly under international laws. The other option you have is death."_

The Dragoon and Leviathan floated menacingly in the air, their weapons pointed at them.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So then what will you do to me, Black Dragon?"

"Well, let's see. The negotiations were a success. Therefore, we will order a ceasefire under the condition that you do the same. As for what I will do to you, let's see. Torturing you to death sounds like a good idea, right, Gino?"

"Yeah." He laughed as the old general sweated with fear.

"Or should I kill you right here?"

"Wait!" Leila stopped him. "Don't kill him."

"Why, Leila?"

"Please, don't kill him."

XXXXXXXXXX

He removed the gun from Smilas' head and then holstered it.

"Run away, Smilas."

He had a cruel smirk on his face. "Run away and hide, Smilas. Run, run with fear. Remember that you were alive because you were spared by a woman. And remember that the next time you try this again, I will kill you. Now, run away. Run away, Smilas. Fear me."

He then turned away from the man who fainted and called out. "Let's go. Gino, you're with me."

He mounted his Knightmare and flew towards the lake. They arrived a few minutes later with the other members of the squad on the Knightmares.

 **1 day later**

"You look to be enjoying yourself, Ayano."

"Huh? Oh, it's you."

"Hey, I'm hurt. What's that type of response?"

Hikaru held his heart in mock hurt and then gave her a glass of champagne, taking his own.

"Hey, why did you save me?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you save me? You knew that you could die."

He didn't answer for a minute before he gave her a reply. "You look like a person I know. You look just like my lover. That's why, I couldn't bear to see you die, not when I could save you. I couldn't save her. At least, I will save you."

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright."

They continued talking for some time before going to dance.

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, how is Paris?" Anna asked Gino while dancing.

"Beautiful, but not as much as you." Anna blushed at his compliments.

"You look cute when you're blushing."

They looked at Hikaru and Ayano, who were dancing near them.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Presenting, the Second Prince, His Highness Prince Schneizel el Britannia!"

Hikaru looked at the door and looked bored as Schneizel came in with his fiance and Kanon Maldini, his assistant, followed him.

'Schneizel really came huh? I thought he wouldn't come.'

XXXXXXXXXX

"That's the second prince?" Leila looked at the charismatic prince, not buying his fake smile for a second.

"If he tries to approach you, act normal. Even if you lie, he will try his best to bring the truth out of you. Don't fall for any of those. He's like a snake, Leila."

Hikaru warned as he stood up to greet the prince.

XXXXXXXXXX

Akito bumped into a man in a suit, who was talking with a woman in an overly extravagant dress, spilling his drink on the man's suit.

"YOU FILTHY ELEVEN!"

Hikaru immediately looked over at the direction, spotting a man shouting at Akito. 'Duke Mars?'

He slowly walked towards the argument, planning to diffuse it.

"I'm sorry sir." Akito politely apologized.

"You monkey! You spoiled my suit!" He continued shouting at the blue-haired pilot and raised a hand to hit him.

A hand stopped him, gripping his hand crushingly.

"I advise you to not hit my men, Duke Mars." He warned coldly.

"Duke Valdstein!"

"The man that you were about to hit was my man. He is a soldier of the Empire."

"He's just a worthless Eleven!"

"Akito Hyuga is a soldier of the Empire and MY subordinate. If you dare insult my men once again, I will not hesitate in breaking your arm. I don't have any problems with ruining my reputation for my men."

His grip tightened in a warning as the man winced. "I want you to apologise to him."

"No! He's a wor-"

"Stop it, Hikaru. I don't need apologies from a man like him. Don't waste your time."

Hikaru turned back to the pilot and then released the man.

"Wyverns, we're leaving. Our party has been spoiled by some worthless and weak fools."

At once, all the Wyverns left the party hall.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks, Hikaru."

"It's no problem, Akito. I don't tolerate idiots like them who think they are above others and insult my men."

He was playing with a knife and looked at the hotel they were planning to stay in.

"This is…"

"The hotel where we'll be staying tonight and tomorrow. The day after, we'll be leaving for Tokyo."

"Cool."

"Hey, isn't this the…"

"Yes, Anna. This is the Le Bristol Paris."

XXXXXXXXXX

He looked at the schematics for the Florence. "I need to ask Anna to look into this for some improvements and also improve the cockpit ejection system."

He then smirked. 'Looks like Gino will have to face a lot of teasing.'

He looked at the door as it opened and he nodded to Akito, who sat down on the comfortable sofa in the lounge and watched the news. "They're announcing that the negotiations are successful."

"I watched."

"What's the plan today?"

"Ever tried paragliding?"

"What?"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Ryo, are you alright?"

He looked sick as Hikaru laughed. "So the hothead is afraid of paragliding."

"I didn't know it was this fun!"

XXXXXXXXXX

They boarded the big jet, where their cargo was already loaded.

He checked the cabins and nodded to the pilot. "We can go."

"Yes, sir."

XXXXXXXXXX

" _All passengers, we are arriving in Area 11 in a short time. We thank you for choosing Paris Airlines."_

They entered his mansion 3 hours later.

"Man, you're rich."

After introductions were over, he then looked at the Knightmares of everyone.

'We need to upgrade their Knightmares. Akito's and Ayano's should get a stronger sword, maybe the same material used for my MVS. Then we need to upgrade Yukiya's sniper rifle and Ryo's Knightmare too.'

He then looked at Leila's Knightmare. 'As for Leila, I need to design a new Knightmare for her. Her fighting style is too defensive for something like the Alexander. Maybe I can get something with heavy ammo and defense too. Kinda like Rei's.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru sighed as Euphie argued about this again. 'How many times has this been?'

"I lost count after 51." Gino mumbled next to him.

"Hey Gino, I think the rest of the Wyverns should assist Cornelia and her forces while we deal with the Black Knights here. They have been causing trouble, especially by trying to take Cornelia hostage and also causing that landslide and destroying our forces."

"Thankfully, we have the W-0 with us, which will help in subduing these idiots."

XXXXXXXXXX

*Sigh* "Tired, Euphie?"

"Really, Big Sister worries too much."

"It's in the nature of big sisters to be an overprotective person to the younger sibling and to compel them to do things which they don't want to and also in their nature to submit to the younger sibling when the said sibling asks something with a teary face and a pout, though they may be fake." Hikaru said wisely, bringing laughs from his two companions.

"Hikaru, how are the new members?"

"They are adjusting good, Euphie. They are pretty good guys. Only problem is I have to stop Ryo from picking fights with the personnel."

"That seems to be tiring."

"Yeah. But he won't be getting into any fights for any while."

"And how about the other matter?"

"Leila still refuses to fight in a Knightmare other than the Alexander. I think I need to show them who's boss here."

'Don't crush her hopes, you idiot.' Gino thought.

XXXXXXXXXX

Euphie looked on as the Dragoon played around with Leila's Alexander, systematically dismantling the white Knightmare.

The simulation ended with the Alexander being destroyed totally with no trace left.

He stepped out of the simulator and then asked Leila, "Do you understand now? The Alexander is not suited for you."

"But, it was Anna who designed it and-"

"I am helping Anna with the funding and the parts, only rarely with the designs. You will still be piloting Anna's Knightmare. I will not force you to do something which is against your wishes. I just want you to be better equipped when you are in a fight so that you will survive."

He then turned to the other pilots.

"As for you lady and gentlemen, I'm having the Alexanders upgraded to better suit your fighting style."

"Wait. How do you know our fighting style?"

"Really, Yukiya? Why do you think I battled you?"

"To kick our ass?"

"To blow off steam?"

"To assert your superiority over us?"

He laughed at their suggestions and answered, "As funny as that sounds, I battle all the members of the Wyverns to get an idea of their fighting style in the hope that they can get better Knightmares if needed."

"Then you could not thrash us and make it look like you were kicking us around." Ayano mumbled.

Hikaru then looked towards Anna. "Anna, I think you have the basic idea. If you need any help, feel free to approach me."

He then left without any word, walking towards the garden.

"Wai-" "Let him go. He visits them whenever he has the chance." Gino stopped Leila as Ayano quietly followed him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, Rei, Tsurara. I couldn't visit you the last few days. Sorry about that, I was in Paris."

He heard a pair of footsteps behind him and then sighed. "Ayano, why did you come here?"

"What? I wanted to see what you were doing. And I also want to pay my respects to the woman whom you loved. I mean, it was because I resembled her that you were ready to give your life to save me, right?"

"Partly."

"So, I want to thank her too." Hikaru smiled lightly.

"I'll introduce you. Rei, Tsurara, this is Ayano Kosaka, a new member of the Wyverns. Ayano, this is Rei Zukari, my lover and Tsurara Alaina, my sister."

He talked to the two of them, telling them of his trip to Paris.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hikaru, I have a request to ask of you."

Her serious voice brought him to attention as he looked at her.

"Yes. What is it, Euphie?"

"I would like you to become my Knight."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Cliffhanger! Hahahaha… I know that I'm evil. Next chapter will contain Hikaru's answer to Euphie and his conversation with CC and his Knighting Ceremony, along with the capture of Tohdoh and his escape too. The Shikine Island and Kamine Island incident will play out differently from canon.**

 **Read and Review…**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, this is Hikaru, back with another chapter of Kakumei no Hikaru. I think it has been a long time because I had my exams. This chapter will contain Hikaru's answer and Knighting ceremony, along with Tohdoh's incident. It will also contain Hikaru's conversation with CC. Oh and for clarification, the members of the Wyverns will be wearing the same outfits and uniforms they used to wear before joining the Wyverns. I feel it gives a sense of unity in diversity. In this chapter, the first member of the Wyverns dies. Kamine Island will play out very differently from canon.**

 **Chapter 7**

 **The Knight and the Island**

"Hikaru, I would like you to become my Knight."

The other occupants' eyes widened as they heard the pink haired princess' words.

He was shocked at her words and he didn't answer her question.

"Euphie, you want me to be your Knight?"

"Yes, Hikaru. If there is anyone I can trust my life with, it will be you, Hikaru."

He looked deep in thought as he contemplated his answer.

'What am I waiting for?'

"Yes, Euphie. I will gladly become your Knight."

The princess smiled as she heard his answer.

"Then…"

"Yes. I accept. However, I need some time before I am Knighted by you."

"Alright. Take your time."

"Thanks, Euphie."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hello, Lelouch."

"Hey, Hikaru. Long time no see."

"Yeah. Listen, I will get straight to the point. Have you seen CC?"

"Huh? What are you-"

"I know about her, Lelouch. I don't care. I just want to talk to her. She's a friend of my mother."

"Um, alright."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hello, Cera."

The green-haired witch looked at the boy before nodding a greeting. "Hello, Hikaru."

"I want to get straight to the point. I think you are working with Zero. And also know maybe who he is. I don't want to ask and also you won't tell me too. And I don't want to interrogate you. What I want to ask is whether you gave me Geass."

"No, I did not."

"Next, did you give Kei Mikoto his Geass?"

"Yes."

"Don't go off giving Geass to random people from now on. Next, do you help Zero?"

"Yes."

"Next, I am about to swear my loyalty to a friend and someone I love and respect a lot. That's why, I want to cut all my ties with you. I want to request you to stop helping Zero."

"No, I cannot do that."

"Then, you are my enemy. I still have mixed feelings about you as Zero's helper and my mother's friend. As I cannot convince you to leave Zero, I want to break my bond with you."

"That's fine. I've forgotten all that anyway."

"Fine then. From now on, the Cera I know is gone. The person before me is CC, who is my enemy and Zero's helper."

"I don't care."

"That's what I hate about you, dammit!"

He snapped as he looked at her, his Geass activating.

"You are dead, Cera. The Cera I know is the person who comforted Tsurara when she was sad. She had something called emotions. You have nothing like that, **CC**." He glared at her, venom in his voice. "I don't have any doubts now. From now on, you, CC are my enemy and I won't show any mercy if you stand in my way. Mark my words."

He left without anymore words, not looking back.

….

"Sorry, Setsuna but I have to hurt your son."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru unsheathed his katana and presented it to Euphie, kneeling to her.

She put the sword on his shoulder. "I swear my loyalty and my life to you, Euphie."

She smiled as she raised the sword.

"Hikaru Alaina, wilt thou, upon this day, pledge thy fealty to Britannia, and stand as a Knight of the Crown?"

"No, your highness."

"Does thy wish to abandon thy self, and be sword and shield for the sake of the greater good?"

"No, your highness."

"Wilt thou pledge your fealty and loyalty to me?"

"Yes, your highness."

"Does thy wish to protect thy self and me, and become my sword and shield for the sake of protecting me and my dream?"

"Yes, your highness."

"I, Euphemia li Britannia, hereby name thee Sir Hikaru Alaina, my Knight."

"Yes, your highness."

He rose, accepting the sword and sheathing it.

The occupants clapped and some of them whistled.

"Congrats, buddy!"

Leila was still looking in confusion at the Knighting Ceremony. 'What just happened?'

Hikaru looked at the blonde.

"What?"

She snapped out of her stupor. "Y-y-you.."

"I swore myself to Euphie, not the Empire. That's why, I will serve and protect Euphie. I don't care about the Royal Family, Leila. I care about the people I love and respect. That's all. That's the reason I am the Black Dragon, the dragon which destroys his enemies, whether they be the terrorists or the Britannians or the Royal Family itself."

"Wow, deep."

"You know that you could be executed for treason right?"

"Nah Gino. I swore myself to Euphie and I don't think I will be executed for that."

"Really?"

"Meaning that 'I' won't be executed, Ayano. Before they kill me, I'll just fake my death. And escape along with those who want to come with me."

'That part's extremely easy.'

"Well then, let's celebrate this with a party!"

They laughed at her antics and Hikaru then bent in a show of humor. "Your wish is my command, Princess."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Really, why are you guys here again?"

"Um, because we figured that you'd be feeling lonely."

"No, Rivalz, now spill the truth."

Milly passed him a flyer and he read it.

He sighed and tore it into pieces. "Hell no!"

Ayano took a flyer from Shirley before reading it. "A giant pizza? Using a Knightmare?"

'What? How is that even possible?' Leila and Akito thought at the same time.

"No, Milly. I will not lend my Dragoon for you to make it into a goddamn pizza tosser. And get out of my house before I kick you out."

"But!"

"NO!"

"Then can you at least pilot the Ganymede we have?"

"No. I will not. Ask Suzaku to do it."

"But you're Princess Euphemia's Knight!"

"What?!" 'How the hell did this she-demon know about that?!'

Hikaru immediately asked them, "How did you know that?!"

"That hothead spilled it."

"Ryo! That idiot! I will thrash him again!"

He glared at the wall and sighed. "Fine. I will give funding but I will not pilot any Knightmare. That's final."

"Thank you!" She glomped him.

"Get off!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"What's the plan?"

"Simple. Akito, you and I will lead the charge. Gino and Ayano will be after us. Yukiya, provide cover. Ryo and Leila are on standby."

He sped off after giving orders, Akito following him.

 **25 minutes later**

"Good work."

"Good to hear."

He then said, "Back to base."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Let's start."

"3..2..1.. Surprise!"

Hikaru looked surprised as he faced the group, two knives in each hand.

"What are you doing?" He asked, scarily calm. "I asked them to throw a party for you." "Whew. You're lucky that I didn't throw these knives at your face."

"Woah that's scary." "Yeah, fear me."

XXXXXXXXXX

"It has been 7 years from then." Kyoshiro Tohdoh said as he looked at the grave before him, the Four Holy Swords behind him. "Damn coward!" The lone female exclaimed as Tohdoh silenced her with a look. "Chiba, it is not good to insult to dead." The oldest member there said with wisdom.

Tohdoh's battles senses picked up the sound of many sets of footsteps. "We have company." He stated in a grim voice.

XXXXXXXXXX

'I won't forgive you, Zero. You have hurt many people and also hurt Shirley. You won't be forgiven! I will hand justice's retribution to you!'

He picked up his communicator and talked into it. "What?! Kyoshiro Tohdoh has been captured?!"

He stood up in shock, donning his coat and running towards the garage, Euphie and the Wyverns following him.

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's nice to see you again, Tohdoh-sensei." Hikaru greeted, bowing to the soldier before him.

The soldier before him opened his eyes and looked at the young General. "Hikaru, it's been a while."

"Yes."

"You have become famous, Black Dragon."

"Thank you."

"And you are following what you believe is right. Good, you are following my teachings."

"Hard to not do that when you beat your teachings into me." Hikaru joked and then looked sad.

"I take it that you are to execute me."

"Yes. Cornelia has ordered me to execute you publicly."

"Are you hesitating?"

"Yes, Tohdoh-sensei. I respect you and would like to avoid killing you."

"Don't hesitate. Accept your responsibilities and execute me, as your duty dictates you to do so."

Hikaru laughed as he heard his words. "Even after all this time, you are able to help me find my resolve."

"That's what I helped my subordinates do."

"Hmm?"

"I trust you, so I am revealing this to you. Genbu Kururugi, he was-"

"Suzaku killed him. I know. I figured it out."

"Clever as always."

"So, about your subordinates?"

"The Four Holy Swords."

"Ryoga Senba, Kosetsu Urabe, Shogo Asahina and Nagisa Chiba."

"Tell me what you think of them."

"All of them will follow you, sensei. Chiba likes you, even loves you, I guess. Asahina, he believes firmly in you. I think he'd go 'Wherever Tohdoh-san is, that is where I am.' Urabe and Senba respect and follow you. All four are your loyal subordinates and trusted comrades. That is what I think."

"Good."

"Say, sensei, I'm not able to bring myself to sometimes give my all. What should I do?"

"I believe you should ask that yourself. You think you can't unleash your full potential. That's when you limit yourself."

A look of realisation crossed his face as he smiled. "Thank you very much, Tohdoh-sensei! I will treasure and follow your teachings." He bowed and left. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything, sensei." "I'm happy to meet my end at your hands. That's all. Don't hesitate."

Hikaru left, a look of relief on his face.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you alright, Hikaru?" "Yes. I'm fine."

He looked at Euphie and then asked, "When are you announcing my Knighting?" "Whenever you feel you're comfortable with it." "Thanks, Euphie."

He stiffened as he heard an explosions and the alarms blaring. 'A prison break… Tohdoh-sensei.'

He gave his coat to Euphie, instructing her to wear it. "Euphie, please wear it. It will protect you from bullets and glass and small rocks. I won't leave without ensuring your safety. Leila, Ayano, guard her. I won't tolerate failure." "Roger!"

Hikaru ran outside the door, going towards the Dragoon.

He looked at the princess for a small instant before jumping into the cockpit _._

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

" _These Gekkas are amazing. Way better than those Burais."_

" _Don't get too excited, Asahina."_

" _We're coming, Tohdoh-san. Wherever you are is where I will be."_

" _Devoted, eh, Asahina?"_

" _Shut it, Urabe."_

A hail of missiles flew towards their way as Gino and Hikaru met them.

" _Wyverns, you deal with the Black Knights. I will deal with the Four Holy Swords."_

He announced his orders over the speakers and then said, _"Gino, you too. Go to fight the Black Knights."_

He drew his katana, electricity running through it and put his Knightmare in a kendo stance, one which was used by Tohdoh very frequently.

" _That stance.. It's-"_

" _Yes, Shogo Asahina-san. It's Tohdoh-sensei's stance. Turns out that I can also fight effectively in the same stance. I was trained by him, after all."_

" _Trained by him?"_

" _Yeah. Just ask him when you meet him. He will tell you about me."_

He then changed his Knightmare's OS and modes, a blue sheen of energy covering the Knightmare and the Blaze Luminous turning red.

" _Let's see who will win."_

He dashed forward, the Eclipse seeming to cut through the air as it clashed with the Kaiten Yaibatou of the Gekka, and Hikaru smirked.

" _Ever tasted lightning?"_

A burst of electricity spread through the blade, passing into the Gekka.

" _Gah.. Damn sneaky bastard!"_

" _I try my best. And these Gekka of yours seem to be different from the old Burais."_

The Blaze Luminous activated as a hail of bullets was blocked. He then activated the MVS Claws and disappeared in a burst of speed, appearing before the opponent Gekka. He then slashed at the opponent with the Eclipse and blocked a slash with the left claws, the right claw easily matching the Gekka.

He then fired the Hadron Cannon at a close range, blasting the Gekka.

" _Urabe!"_

" _I'm fine. The head's damaged, that's all."_

Hikaru looked at the screens, the sensors picking up two new Knightmares.

" _That is… The red Knightmare from Narita… And Zero's Burai too…"_

" _Then…"_

" _Tohdoh-sensei/Tohdoh-san is in either of them."_

Hikaru suddenly fired a Hadron Cannon blast at the Burai, which was dodged barely.

The cockpit opened as soon as the Burai reached the truck and the back of the truck's cabin opened, showing a black Knightmare.

'A black Gekka, probably customised for Tohdoh-sensei's use.'

Tohdoh stepped into the black Gekka and then activated it.

" _Tohdoh-sensei! Let's have a duel!"_

" _Is that you?!"_

" _Yeah!"_

The two katanas met in a clash of blades and wills, each one trying to overpower the other.

" _Tohdoh-san! Wait. We are coming!"_

" _Stop, Asahina. This is a duel between me and my student. Don't interfere. Assist the Black Knights."_

Hikaru smirked as he fired the Hadron Cannon at a close range again and activated another electric burst, the black Gekka being hit by both.

He then shouted over the comms. _"Ryo, Zero is in that Burai. Apprehend him."_

" _Right."_

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

The Alexander sped towards his Knightmare, the Burai being hit by the speedy machine.

" _Zero!"_ A female voice called out as the red Knightmare dashed towards the Alexander, cutting it off.

" _Don't underestimate the Guren Mk-II, you bastard!"_

The two Knightmares began their fight as Zero sat back and observed.

Hikaru slashed again, the Eclipse clashing with the Gekka's sword repeatedly.

" _You're strong. But, to fulfill my duty, I cannot let you leave, Tohdoh-sensei. I will try my best to stop you."_

" _Zero has given me a new hope for the Japanese. He has promised to give them a miracle and requested my assistance. For Japan, I gave him my help. That's why, to give hope to the Japanese, I cannot be caught again!"_

2 minutes later

Gino looked at the Burais he was fighting with. Yukiya was fulfilling his role as a sniper and picking off enemies that tried to attack his allies from the back.

" _Good work, Yukiya."_

Gino sighed as he fought yet more of the black Knightmares. 'These things are too annoying. I just want to burn them all with a flamethrower.'

He then looked at the energy.

'Hmm… I can afford it.'

" _Yukiya, I'm using the flamethrower. You snipe the ones that escape the flames."_

" _Roger."_

A jet of blue flames erupted from the Leviathan in an instant, burning the Burais and not leaving any trace.

" _Good work, Gino. Keep going."_

Hikaru continued his duel with Tohdoh, neither gaining an advantage.

" _Is this your limit?"_

The same female voice said as a pained gasp distracted Hikaru and made him turn towards Ryo. His Alexander was badly damaged and it was in the grasp of the Guren.

It began bubbling and suddenly exploded, the cockpit also exploding in a big boom. Simultaneously, many voices called out his name. _"RYO!"_

The Dragoon shook as a sword hit it and pushed it back. "Heh, looks like it's the end for me."

" _Ryo!" "Yukiya, don't be sad for my death and don't blame yourself. And also don't let Ayano and the others get hurt. The time I spent with you guys was the best time of my life."_

He stopped breathing and the BRS shut down, signifying that he was dead.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Dragoon was stationary for an instant as he realized the outcome of the recent events. 'One of my subordinates died under my command... I ordered him to his death.'

He snapped as his Geass activated and electricity flashed around him.

" _Ryo, I'm sorry."_

The black Knightmare disappeared and the red Knightmare was hit suddenly by a black sword, electricity crackling around the blade.

He began to speak in Japanese so that he was understood clearly.

" _Die! Die! DIE!"_ The flamethrower activated and blue flames hit the Guren, the blue flames burning the ground itself.

He slashed again and again as Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords focused on him, beginning to gain on him.

Lightning suddenly erupted around the Dragoon and the Eclipse started to hit them, electricity crackling on the blade.

" _Black Knights, our objective has been accomplished. Deploy chaff smoke and retreat!"_

Zero's announcement caught him off guard, causing him to get hit by the enemy Knightmares. He was surrounded by chaff smoke and the Gekkas, Burais and Guren disappeared by the time the smoke cleared.

He shouted in anger and frustration.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Let's go."

They looked at the grave that was freshly dug and turned around, not turning back.

'Black Knights, you made yourself my enemy. And now, you will face my wrath. I will hand down divine retribution!'

"We're going to Shikine Island next week to receive Prince Schneizel along with Euphie."

XXXXXXXXXX

They waited at the port, looking at the vast sea. 'Wonder why he's coming and also why he's meeting us here.'

He stiffened as he heard a report. 'The Black Knights are attacking?'

He looked at Euphie and then said, "Euphie, leave. Now. I would like to advise for your own safety to go back to the Tokyo Settlement. I will have Leila, Ayano and Yukiya accompany you. Gino, Akito, we're staying here. Get in your Knightmares."

XXXXXXXXXX

'Is Zero here? And the Guren too?'

He looked at the Black Knights' Knightmares, trying to locate the two Knightmares he was targeting.

He smirked ferally as he spotted the Guren and the Burai. 'Found you.'

The Hadron Cannons started raining death on the enemy Knightmares. Gino and Akito followed him, Akito's Liberte equipped with a Super Electromagnetic Propulsion Motor Flight Unit. The purple Knightmare dropped down from the sky, starting to kill all the pilots without discrimination, murdering all the Black Knights.

Gino started firing the Transition Cannon, destroying the opposition Knightmares. Hikaru descended with the Eclipse at the ready, slashing at the main Knightmares and blocking their way _._

" _We meet again. Tohdoh-sensei, have you joined with the Black Knights?"_

" _Yes, Hikaru. That's why I can't be defeated by you now."_

" _Then, Kyoshiro Tohdoh-sensei, you are my enemy and I will show you no mercy."_

He fired the flamethrower at a close range and then fired the ones in his hand, burning the Burais and the Gekkas.

" _Damn you, Britannian!" The Guren dashed towards him, trying to grab him with the silver claw._

" _You are the one who killed my subordinate. That's why I will not hold back on you."_

He then pressed a button on the console and then swung the Eclipse, a bolt of electricity striking the Guren.

" _Destroy every enemy."_

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

"Hikaru, why did you send me back?" Euphie wondered as she looked at the island.

'I have a bad feeling that something will happen if I don't go back.'

"Turn the boat around."

"What?!" Leila and Ayano shouted at the same time as Yukiya watched, merely surprised.

"I, Euphemia li Britannia, order you to turn this vessel around and set course to Shikine Island."

XXXXXXXXXX

He continued his fight with the Black Knights, fighting the Guren, Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords at the same time. He spotted Zero watching at the back, slowly retreating.

" _Zero, you coward!"_ He then fired the flamethrower and the Hadron Cannons at the same time, throwing off his opponents. He then dashed towards Zero, who was moving towards a small pit. He followed him, jumping into the pit and pointing his katana at the Burai.

" _Zero, step out of that cockpit. You will be treated as a prisoner and judged according to your crimes."_

He heard Zero's laugh as he stated. _"With this, you have been captured."_

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

Rakshata Chawla activated the Gefjun Disturber, making the Dragoon and the Burai shut down.

"Behold my Gefjun Disturber. Now your Knightmare won't work, will it?"

Hikaru then laughed as he switched his speaker on. _"Sorry, but my Dragoon Wyvern has many power sources, sakuradite, electricity and also nuclear."_

He then moved his Knightmare, slashing at the Burai and decapacitating it.

" _Zero!"_ The Guren rushed into the pit, only to shut down.

 _XXXXXXXXXX_

"This is Shikine Island. We have received orders to fire missiles and bury Zero while General Alaina is keeping him and his forces occupied."

"Then fire all missiles immediately. Your markers are the black Knightmare Frame, red Knightmare Frame, a Glasgow copy and 5 new models, one black and the other grey. Fire all missiles and destroy Zero."

"Stop!" Euphie exclaimed as Leila and Ayano followed her while Yukiya readied an Alexander for the princess, predicting her actions.

"Stop! He's my Knight. I order you to stop this firing."

"We apologize, your highness, but the order was a Level-1 order. It cannot be stopped by anyone less than that level."

"Level-1? Who is it?"

She then ran towards the conveniently ready Alexander. "Tell them that I'm heading there and firing the missiles may cause me harm."

"Wait. Stop!" Leila and Ayano called after her as the Alexander moved towards Hikaru's IFF.

'Damn it!' The three Wyverns followed her in their Knightmares.

XXXXXXXXXX

'That's all of the grunts, I guess.' Akito then noticed Gino heading towards Hikaru's IFF and sped towards him as well. _"Hikaru is in trouble. He's fighting multiple opponents but he's not moving."_

Gino then started firing the Hadron Cannon at the Gekka while Akito destroyed the Gefjun Disturber, enabling the Guren and the Burai to move.

Hikaru growled as the Guren attacked him and defended with the claws, slashing without a break.

He didn't notice the shadow overhead as Schneizel's Avalon appeared, at the same moment Gino and Akito appeared in the fray, along with Euphie and the Wyverns.

XXXXXXXXXX

The missiles were destroyed by the Gekkas and the Alexanders as they continued fighting.

A red beam of energy was suddenly fired from above, blanketing everything in red and creating a huge explosion.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru woke up on the shore, his clothes wet and his muscles a bit sore and painful. He immediately looked around. "This is not Shikine Island." 'Is this the island next to it? Kamine Island, was it? It was claimed by Clovis. But now it is not claimed by anyone as Clovis died.'

He then remembered a crucial detail. 'Euphie! I saw her when that explosion happened. She was there too. There's a chance she is here.'

He then started to search along the shoreline, searching for any trace of pink.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Leila! Leila, are you alright?!"

She jolted awake as she heard his voice and looked around, noticing Akito beside her, his jacket covering her naked body. 'Wait, naked?!' She almost shrieked before Akito looked away and bowed to her in apology. She realised her blushing as he tried to apologize. "Y-your c-clo-clothes were w-we-wet and I didn't want you to catch a cold, so I removed them and dried them. Sorry! Please forgive me!"

She then laughed as she looked at his face, which was red with embarrassment. "I forgive you, Akito."

XXXXXXXXXX

The blue haired teen heard soft breathing. 'It seems to be at a small distance, towards the shore. And the sound is meaning that she is sleeping. Good thing I have my Geass. My sight, hearing and smell are enhanced.' He turned in the direction of the sound and then started to run towards the voice. 'This sound and scent, it's Euphie.'

 **3 minutes later**

Euphie was face to face with Zero, who was pointing a gun at her. "Lelouch, is it you? It is you, right?"

He faltered for a second before steadying himself again. Suddenly, he was hit by a devastating punch, courtesy of the Black Dragon.

His mask started to crack as Euphie gasped, while Hikaru stood before her, shielding her from Zero. The masked man fell back, his mask cracking to pieces and shattering, the pieces falling to the ground. Lightning danced on the blue haired teen's limbs, his hair spiked up and having a sheen of white on it.

"Zero, I won't let you harm Euphie. I will destroy you if you try to harm her." Hikaru stated venomously, drawing a gun and aiming it at the terrorist.

He froze as he heard a familiar voice. 'Lelouch?' "You're correct, Euphemia. Sadly, my mask seems to be destroyed."

Zero stood up, his mask destroyed, only to reveal… "Lelouch? You're Zero?"

"Yes, I am. I am Lelouch vi Britannia and I am Zero, the leader of the Black Knights."

The three of them stood still, looking at each other.

Hikaru relaxed and then put his gun away and then said, "Leave. If you are seen, then both Nunnally and Euphie will be at a risk and I don't want to cause that. I will give you 1 week, Lelouch. If I find you before me after that time, then I will apprehend you."

Lelouch seemed surprised by his words and then slowly nodded. "Alright."

He thanked Hikaru. "Can I talk with Euphie for a moment?"

"If you are worried about her revealing your identity, don't worry. Both of us will not reveal your identity. I care for you and Nunnally as my siblings, so I will not hand you over or sell you out. But hurt Euphie and I'll kill you. That is a promise."

"I understand. I will never hurt Euphie."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Kallen, is it you?" He called out, looking away from the now naked girl. "This is Zero."

The girl shrieked as she covered herself and looked at Zero, his head turned away from her. "Z-zero, I apologize for this!"

"N-no, don't apologize. It's my mistake." 'But she should have kept up her guard. If it was someone else then it would have been the end for her.'

The two of them then set out, searching for a shelter.

XXXXXXXXXX

He heard a growling from his sides and immediately looked around, noticing an empty cave. "Euphie, quick, get into that cave. It's wolves. They are extremely feral. I'll take care of them."

"But!"

"Quick!" He took his gun and knives, looking at the black furred wolves, their sharp teeth dripping with saliva.

He started to defend, getting hit and scratched be the wolves many times. 'Even with my Geass, I can't beat them. There are limitations to enhancing my body to that level for reaching Euphie. And I don't have the strength to use lightning.'

He grunted in pain as he received a particularly nasty gash, the blood dripping from his arm, his shoulder injured.

He suddenly heard Euphie scream in fear and turned towards her, seeing some wolves ganging up on her. "Euphie!" He moved towards her, getting bit multiple times, his arms bloody.

Suddenly, his eyes turned heterochromic and his hair turned white as he then said, "Euphie, go into the cave." "Hikaru, you're hurt!" "This is *grunt* nothing." Suddenly, he felt his eyes and hands start to burn and screamed in pain, before the pain disappeared, leaving blue flames on his hands. 'What? Blue flames?' He recoiled as he suddenly remembered Rei's final moments.

'At that moment, it was blue flames that surrounded us and killed the JLF, also destroying the hotel. Can I control flames with my Geass now?'

He then tried to focus on the flames on his hands and then spread them outward, towards the wolves surrounding the couple. He smirked weakly as the wolves ran away, the flames still surrounding the two of them, shielding them from any further threats.

He started to fall and heard Euphie running towards him, only to feel his wounds healing slowly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Akito, look at that. Is that … blue flames?"

The Ghost of Hannibal looked at the direction she was pointing to.

"True. They are blue flames. But why?"

"The only thing I can think is Hikaru in his Dragoon."

"Maybe. Let's head there."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru grunted in pain as he shifted and woke up suddenly, meeting Euphie's watchful eyes.

"Hikaru! You are ok!" She hugged him tightly and painfully, making him wince. 'How is she this strong?!' He heard her sob and his eyes widened in realisation. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She repeated, sobbing. He tried to calm her down, rubbing her back, making her calm down.

"Sorry, Euphie. I made you worry. Don't worry. I won't die."

"B-but…"

"I won't die. And I won't let you get hurt. I promise."

He then looked at his surroundings. "Where're we?" "T-the cave we found." "I see. Good that we're at least in a safe place. How long was I out?" "I don't know. You woke up a short while after blacking out." "Hmm I'd say 1 hour give or take a few minutes. So it's still night." He suddenly turned towards the flames and they disappeared, showing the sight of Akito and Leila trying to cross the flames. "W-what happened?"

"Akito, Leila, it's me. Come into the cave."

XXXXXXXXXX

The Japanese pilot looked at the blue flames on the wood in awe. "How did you do that?" "Let's see. Leila, how did you not get affected by Shin Hyuga Shaing's Geass when clearly the others were affected? Two reasons. One, he didn't love you like he loves his brother. He didn't see you as someone he cared about. Two, his Geass was negated by your own. That's why Akito was also able to stop being a suicidal maniac. It negates other Geass, I think. As for how I did it, I have Geass we well. I don't know who my contractor is. My Geass allows me to enhance by physical and mental abilities, even healing. I can also slightly modify my appearance, like eye colour shade, which I used to hide my heterochromia. And it also gives me control over lightning and recently, flames, both of which I can generate and control at will, but prolonged use of my Geass leaves me drained and also I will be knocked out."

"What's Geass, anyway?"

He looked at them with a deadpan. "Really?"

He sighed in exasperation and said, "Fine. I'll give a short version. Geass is a supernatural power, given to a person by a contractor, who is immortal. The Geass can be seen when activated by a sigil in the user's eyes, usually one. And each power is different. The contractor cannot control the power given. I believe that the power is a manifestation of the user's strongest desire. The contractor can usually sender when a Geass is near. And some can even converse with each other. There is also a case of permanent Geass. Mine is one. And I can control it, but it leaves me drained. And sometimes, the drawbacks are too great compared to the advantages and vice-versa. That's all I know."

They tried to take in this information. "You mean that the reason we lived at that time was because of Geass?" "Yes and no. For me, I believe that Geass gives someone the pretty to achieve their desire. Geass is essentially a means to an end, a means to achieve a desire."

"But what could be the desire?" "I don't know, Leila. I believe that mine is to protect those I care about. Physically and emotionally. And that's why I heal faster, because those I care about may be hurt seeing me in pain. As for you, I don't know, but I guess that it is almost similar, the power to protect those you care about. And it manifested in a sort of negator and also may enable you to have visions."

He then suddenly shifted, taking his gun as he heard footsteps. "Someone's coming." He then took a few knives which were slightly different. "Are those…" "Butterfly knives or balisongs. Easy to use and extremely dangerous too. My previous knives were a bit damaged from previous use."

He expertly flipped the blade open and headed towards the cave opening, the balisongs ready. He suddenly jumped the through the flames and pointed the blade at the two shapes he saw. "Wait, Hikaru, it's me, Lelouch."

He heard a gasp as Hikaru saw Lelouch and also Kallen behind him. "Why are you here?" "I need to find a place for shelter." The Black Dragon relaxed, retrieving the knives and flipping them closed.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is it you, L-Lelouch?" Kallen stuttered, looking at the exiled prince, his mask beside him.

"Yes, Kallen. I am Zero and I'm Lelouch vi Britannia, aka Lelouch Lamperouge. I have decided to trust you with my real identity, as my trusted ally and friend."

Hikaru watched the exchange and then interrupted them. "He really means everything, Kallen Kouzuki. And he has a real reason to hate Britannia. Don't be mistaken for one second that he was using you for his own gain. And don't try to attack him, I will protect him."

"Are you really not using us, Zero?"

"No, Kallen. I'm not using you. I'm incorporating your goals into mine."

She looked conflicted for a second before she nodded. "Then, I will trust you, Zero."

"Kallen, are you the pilot of the Guren?" "Yes." "At that time in Narita and the prison, did you use to RWS at full power?" "Why?" "Because I know Rakshata and I know that she won't build something that destructive. And I also noticed something different about the power outputs. Someone is manipulating your Guren. Manipulating the RWS to be exact. Manipulating its power output so that it will be more destructive than intended."

The Black Knight gasped in realisation. "Then, someone is…" "Someone is behind the scenes and is discrediting the Black Knights. So I will stop them, cause they are the real terrorist scum. And I will leave you alone." "Thank you, Hikaru." Lelouch said.

"However-" he continued, "-, if you ever hurt Euphie, my men or anyone I care about, then I will kill you all."

"Understood." "Kallen, I know about what you have been doing. I think I can help your mother. If I manipulate the records, I can get her to be provided better medical care. I'm doing this as a favour for a friend." "W-why?" "A favour. And I think she needs to be treated better, after all the bullshit she went through at your stepmother's house."

She immediately bowed to me, tearfully muttering, "Thank you, thank you."

"Don't worry."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, someone else is responsible for Ryo's death?" Akito asked coldly. "Yeah. And we will find them and make them suffer. This, I promise you."

"I want to land the final blow on them."

"Fine."

Hikaru looked at the Black Knight and Zero, who were noticeably closer than before.

He walked towards them and said, "I don't think they will search this island for a few days. So you two are clear for the day."

"Alright." "Hey, Hikaru, why are you doing this?" The redhead asked, looking into his eyes. "It's because I want to do what I feel is right. Because of you, the Japanese have hope, and I would be cruel to take it away. I'm dealing with terrorists, not those who help the innocent."

XXXXXXXXXX

"So, you are Euphemia's Knight now?" "Yes, Kallen." He answered her question while laying a few traps.

He then handed her two balisongs. "Here. These are better than that switchblade you carry. One for you and one for Lelouch. And I'll send him a gift later. You too."

"Thanks."

"Welcome. Say, do you know where the others are?"

"They're in that waterfall we discovered. Hyuga is guarding them. And they are at no risk. We already checked the area." "Good."

"Say, how are you going to leave?"

He got blank looks in reply and sighed. "Fine. I'll cover for you." "Thanks."

"Say, Lelouch, are you going to reveal your identity to the others?" "Why?"

"Trust. And I think you have Kallen's trust, what with her knowing your identity and about your Geass."

"Yeah. I trust him." The redhead added.

"Reveal your identity to Tohdoh-sensei at least. He will understand your reasons."

"I'll think about it."

Hikaru then started to play with the balisong he was holding, impressively flipping it. "You could make some money with that, you know."

"If that was a joke, I'm not laughing, woman."

He then stood up. "I'll try and hunt some animals, maybe fish. You wanna come?"

"Fine." Kallen brightened.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe that you're Zero, Lelouch, with you being so clumsy and physically weak."

"Stop laughing." "Guess I need to train you. Can't have you being outrunned by a kid."

"Hey! I'm not that weak!"

"Have Sayoko-san train you. She will be able to help me."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Here. This is the contact number that you can use to contact Kallen, if you need."

"Thanks."

He then activated his Geass and smirked. "There seem to be ruins here. I think they have something to do with Geass."

"Let's investigate them."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Hikaru POV**

I held my head as my Geass resonated with the ruins and my eyes burned. I watched Lelouch and Leila do the same. 'Only those with Geass are reacting.'

He suddenly turned towards the rocks of the ruins as he felt someone near them. "Who're you?!"

I saw surprised looks around me.

'Am I the only one who can see him?'

I looked at the man once again. He looked old, no, ancient, with his white hair and ancient clothes. He also had to symbol of Geass on his forehead, the red contrasting with his blue eyes.

"Are you my contractor and why am only I able to see you?"

" _I am UU, the first Code bearer. And the one who gave you Geass bears my Code."_

"Can you show yourself to the others?"

" _Do you trust them, child?"_

"Yes, UU. And my name is Hikaru Alaina."

" _I know, Black Dragon. Then, I'll show myself."_

He glowed with a small light and my companions gasped in surprise.

"Who is he?" Leila asked the question on everyone's mind.

"I am UU, a Code bearer. And the Code which granted him Geass was mine."

"Why, UU?" "I felt your desire and drive. It was the same as Dash. You had the same resolve as him."

"You mean Sir Dash?" "The same. The man over there, Absolute Obedience, looks like him. And possesses the same Geass as him."

"Lelouch? I know. Sir Dash is mine and Lelouch's ancestor. I found it out when I saw you. I felt like I saw your memories."

"That is true. I have passed on my Code to Dash and he is alive, young too. I believe that he is the one who gave you Geass. And I am but a fragment, a memory. The reason I appear before you is to give you answers that you seek, about the one who gave you Geass. And now, I can rest in peace."

"You're dying?"

"Yes, young Dragon. I am dying and I would like to do so on my terms."

He turned back to the ruins and placed a hand on it and started to disappear.

"May you achieve your desire, Hikaru Alaina."

The men finally disappeared.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I will try and find Sir Dash." "What?!"

"He's an urban legend, Hikaru." "No, Leila

He is alive. And I will get my answers."

I then turned to the direction we came from.

"He's here." I declared. "Sir Dash is here on this island. And he wants to meet me, I think." I headed towards the cave. "You guys, go to the waterfall. Stay there and I will come there."

"Alright." Lelouch replied.

 **1 hour later**

I arrived at the waterfall and waved to the others.

"I talked to him. He was a good person. He disappeared after our talk. He passed away, in a sense. His Code was lost. He strengthened my Geass and enchanted his Code into this locket. It will protect the one who wears it." I pointed to the locket I received from Rei. I then said, "And I see a few Britannian vessels. Lelouch, you and Kallen can escape by taking one of them. We won't stop you but we won't intentionally help you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Lelouch took his mask, reaching up to wear it.

"Wait. Come here, all of you."

As they stood in a line, I looked at their eyes and then activated my Geass, clutching my locket. I gasped as I saw rings around their eyes.

"What happened, Hikaru?" Lelouch asked.

I didn't answer and took my balisong, handing it to Akito. "You know how to use it?" "No." "Close it and take this."

He did as I told him to and all of us watched as he expertly flipped it open and suddenly, he tried to stab himself. I stopped his hand and took the knife out of his hand. "Open your eyes, Akito."

"What happened?"

I sighed and answered his question. "My guess was correct. Lelouch and Leila developed a Runaway Geass. They can't control it anymore. I need to suppress it. Fortunately, Sir Dash told me how to suppress a Runaway Geass."

I stepped forward and then activated my Geass again, still clutching the locket. I touched their foreheads once with my fingers and deactivated my Geass.

"There, all finished. Now, your Geass won't become Runaway unless you want it to grow stronger. And I mean strong enough to destroy yourselves from the power and the insanity is possessing a Runaway Geass. They are bound to the Code in this locket, meaning, bounded to me. I am the only one Sir Dash has a contract with. I will be able to sense it if it goes out of control and suppress it. So, you are safe."

They breathed a sigh of relief.

"Akito, I don't think you are feeling suicidal anymore now, right?"

"Suicidal?" Leila asked, concerned.

"Yeah. Because of Shin's Geass, sometimes, he feels a strong impulse for suicide and homicide. Now, that effect is gone. And also, I partially gave you my Code, so you may have faster healing. A useful after-effect." I informed them of what I'd done and then sat down under a tree, tired from all my actions today. "I'm sleeping for some time. Wake me up if you need something."

 **Normal POV**

Lelouch looked at his mask and looked over his shoulder, seeing Euphie walk towards him. "Shouldn't you be looking after your Knight?" He asked.

"Lelouch, how is Nunnally?" "She is good, Euphie. She is happy, at least."

"Will you ever return?" "No, Euphie. I will not return until Britannia is changed. And I will change the works itself if I need to, for Nunnally."

"Have you talked to her about it?" "About being Zero? No." "Talk to her. If not about being Zero, at least tell her that you are doing something dangerous. She needs to know." Lelouch's amethyst eyes widened at his words and he nodded, not trusting his words. "Good. That was what I wanted to talk about." "Euphie… thank you, for being there for me." "We're family, Lelouch. And I love you." She suddenly kissed him on the lips and ran back.

XXXXXXXXXX

He looked at the Knightmare that Lelouch and Kallen had hijacked. 'Really, what was Schneizel thinking, creating that? It's time dangerous.'

He then nodded subtly to Euphie. "We'll visit them sometime."

"Alright."

He looked at the people around him, who were pointing guns at him.

"What is the meaning of this, Schneizel?" He glared at the prince and took his own weapons, far more experienced with his than the soldiers surrounding him.

"It would take me less than 15 seconds to kill them all and less than 5 seconds to disarm them. So, I suggest you answer."

"You are being arrested for treason."

Suddenly, the two pilots of the Wyverns stepped in.

"Orders? You were going to sacrifice him without any reason or warning. And Hikaru didn't receive an order at all. He was fighting them and he was close to winning, until you decided to bomb them."

"Stop, Akito. I'll deal with this." He stepped forward, his balisongs flipped open and walked towards Schneizel. "Listen closely, Schneizel. I am the Knight of Princess Euphemia li Britannia and I follow her orders. And her life was endangered by your orders. So I will defy them anytime I want to. And you can't do anything about it. Also, next time, make sure that you inform me that it's Britannian forces bombing the area I'm in, because, I don't want to _accidentally_ destroy your ship."

He then walked away. "I'll be securing a vessel. I believe that my men are here."

The others followed him, while Schneizel and his men remained, the prince thinking about the Dragon's words.

'I lost this. He won and Zero won.'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Hahahaha… goal accomplished! As I told, Kamine Island went very differently from canon. And about Ryo, I was planning on killing him, because I didn't like his character very much (Sorry, Ryo fans.)**

 **And I didn't want Hikaru and The Black Knights to be enemies, as both the groups are not innocent. Black Knights with Narita and Hikaru with his army, they kill even the unarmed.**

 **About Schneizel, I absolutely HATED his scheming character, so Hikaru and Schneizel will not have a friendly relationship.**

 **And, yes, it was VV who teleported the people to Kamine and UU and Sir Dash are characters from Renya of Darkness, a spin-off of Code Geass. Just search them in Code Geass wiki.**

 **And for those who don't know what a balisong or butterfly knife is, it is a folding knife with to handles. Search Google for the image. I am planning on buying one, just to look cool.**

 **Expect a chapter in the next two weeks.**

 **Read and Review**

 **-Hikaru**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello my good readers, I have returned. I had some good ideas for this chapter. And I will also permanently sideline the Glinda Knights aka fire them from the Wyverns, in this chapter. They were just foils for Hikaru and the other characters. In this chapter, the Wyverns and the Black Knights will form a temporary alliance. And I will also introduce the group which manipulated and discredited the Black Knights, the Circle. Don't worry, I have it all planned out. That's all, I think.**

 **Chapter 8**

 **The Black Dragon and the Black Knights**

Hikaru stepped down from his Dragoon on seeing the plane arrive.

"Euphie, why is your mother coming here?" "I don't know. She didn't tell me anything."

"I see. She's coming. The Dragoon picked up the plane on its sensors."

As a pinkish violet haired woman stepped down from the plane, Hikaru kneeled to her and Euphie stepped forward. "Mother, have you been well?"

"I should be asking you, Euphemia. You seem to be busy with recent events."

"Thank you for your concern, Mother."

Empress Victoria li Britannia looked at Hikaru and said in an authoritative tone. "Rise, Knight."

"Yes, Your Highness."

He stood up, standing behind Euphie and looked around the surroundings for any danger.

"Omega, all clear."

" _Alpha, Sierra, all clear."_

" _Bravo, Echo, all clear."_

" _Charlie, Delta, Foxtrot, clear."_

" _Beta group, all clear."_

"All Wyverns, move out. Plot courses for destination and make decoys. And operate with extreme caution."

" _Roger."_

The Empress heard his words. "You have 4 decoys, Knight?"

"Yes, Empress li Britannia. I feel we should exercise extreme caution, for we have an important guest visiting and the Princess herself would be sad if you were hurt. We would like to avoid anything like that. And personally, me and my team respect you, so we would like to protect you."

He answered and then turned towards his Dragoon, gesturing towards an Alexander to his right. "Please enter that Knightmare. I will be controlling it. We have similar decoys. For your staff, I will personally escort them to your residence."

"Alright. Euphie, let's go."

Hikaru entered his Knightmare and then switched the OS, pulling up his console.

'Got to thank Leila and Anna though, for this.' They departed and he took different routes.

 **10 minutes later**

"It's taking a lot of time."

" _I apologize, Your Highness but we are trying to use the safest route and it involves many different diversions. Better to be late than never be there."_

His eyes suddenly widened as he looked at the screen. "Oh shit!"

" _What happened, Omega?"_

"All teams, prepare for contact with enemy forces. Suspected to be hostile. Their targets may be the Empress and Princess. No matter what, protect your decoys. Don't let it slip that you don't have the targets."

" _Understood!"_

The two royals were listening in on his orders.

" _Hikaru, you do know that they are listening in on our conversation, right?"_

"I know, Gino. And I planned this. Beta group, regroup with Charlie, Delta and Foxtrot. Omega will be passing by your expected location in 35 seconds. We will exchange the decoys there. Echo, new orders. Control all drones and switch them to battle defense mode. Switch all possible energies and reroute them to defense and evasion. Bravo, cover Echo. Alpha, Sierra, you will join me in fending off to hostiles. The Florence will be handling the decoy. Beta group, failure is not affordable. I expect you to perform at full efficiency. Delta, Foxtrot, shield the targets. Charlie, provide covering fire. You are authorised to use any weapons and means to secure our two targets. Capture hostiles if possible. Terminate if necessary. Move out!"

 **5 minutes later**

'Damn it! They predicted my moves and now the exchange failed. I can't fight to my full potential while defending them. If we survive, I'm going to fire the Glinda Knights. Those guys endangered the mission and two important people. Those guys are incompetent. Plain and simple.'

He dodged fire from another off their Knightmares.

"These things are agile."

" _Hikaru, don't you think this looks like that Guren?"_

"It is the Guren. The Guren Mk-I. Mass produced in The Militarized Nation of India. And we have to face these aces too, it seems. That white Knightmare and the blue one are just plain troublesome."

He blocked another sword slash from the blue Knightmare and growled. _"Damn you!"_

" _How do you like me Gekka Shiden, huh? It fights better than that Byakuen, right?"_

' **Gekka Shiden** and **Byakuen**. I'll need to look into those. And right now, survive and protect Euphie and the Empress.'

He grunted as the Byakuen hit him at the same time as the Gekka Shiden, damaging his MVS Claws. 'Now I have to I my Eclipse.'

He unsheathed the katana and slashed at the Gekka Shiden, clashing blades and fired the Hadron Cannons at the Byakuen. _"Zhe Dien, don't leak information." "Don't worry, Oz."_

Zhe Dien used his sword again. 'This guy seems to be Chinese and he's experienced in close combat. And that Oz guy is obviously an ace. He's almost better than Suzaku. And their Knightmares are advanced. I am at a disadvantage. I need some help.'

Suddenly, a pair of beams hit the ground before him, stopping the Byakuen and Gekka Shiden from hitting him. 'What?!'

He looked at the source, finding the Gawain, with a new paint job, painted black and blue. 'Lelouch.' He also noticed Kallen in her Knightmare.

" _All units, we have allies. Do not, I repeat, do not fire on the two new units."_

Her received a private channel from Lelouch, connecting him with the two of them.

" _Having trouble?"_ "You saved me, Lelouch. Kallen too. I need some help. Kallen, help me in this fight. Lelouch, get your Gawain-" _"I'll provide logistics and command. I know."_

"Good. Your callsigns will be Quebec and Zulu. I'm Omega."

" _Understood."_

Hikaru looked at the Guren as it danced around the Byakuen, leaving him to fight Zhe Dien. "Good thing that I get to face you. Let's see you defeat the Eclipse."

He dashed forward, his wings activating and disappeared, slashing at his opponent from different directions. 'Good thing that I survived long enough to activate the wings.'

 **30 minutes later**

" _Zulu, all clear. The enemy hostiles are retreating."_

" _Quebec, clear."_

" _Alpha, clear."_

" _Bravo, Echo, clear."_

" _Charlie, Delta, Foxtrot, clear."_

" _Beta group, clear."_

Hikaru nodded at the report and sheathed the Eclipse. "Omega, clear."

He then switched to the private channel. "Thank you, Lelouch, Kallen. And sorry about that attack back there." He received a "Don't mind." in return and then said, "Wyverns, return to base."

XXXXXXXXXX

"You're fired." Hikaru declared seriously.

"Marrybell mel Britannia, Oldrin Zevon, Leonhardt Steiner, Sokkia Sherpa, Tink Lockhart, and all the former members of the Glinda Knights, you're fired. You're off the team. I'm removing you permanently. You have violated the one rule that is absolutely not supposed to be broken. You violated a direct order from me, which is the first infraction. And the second infraction, you violated an order that caused the Princess and the Empress to be endangered and possibly killed. Three, you ignored orders and fired on allies, because you _believed_ that they were to enemies. Four, you pursued the retreating enemies when your order was to protect the targets. Five, you were incompetent enough to not go through with my orders. Six, your actions endangered the members of the Royal Family, and the lives of my own men. Seven, your actions were against all the rules I established at the formation of this unit and also violated several orders from your superiors during the time you were under another's, in the name of the Emperor and my authority. That is a _direct_ abuse of authority granted to you by your superiors. On these grounds, I'm removing you from the Wyverns. This decision is final. Effective immediately. Pack your things and leave my mansion. And don't think about arguing. I'm not changing my mind. And the only way to get back into this is when I'm not in this group and someone different from me offers you a spot in here. So, leave."

He then took his computer and started working on the reports for today.

"I would like to talk to you, General Alaina."

"Permission denied."

"It's an order as a Princess of Britannia."

"I refuse. I have sworn my loyalty to a person and I will not take orders from anyone who is not her or from someone I don't respect. And you are in both the lists along with your Knights. So, you do not have any permission to speak to me. And you are no longer members of my team." He continued typing.

"Gino, get Earl Whittaker arrested. Some way or the other. He's the mole. I will _interrogate_ him myself. And if he's not able to give me something useful, remove his noble status. If he provides something, just execute him for treason without anyone knowing. He's the mole. I've confirmed it already. Based on the info provided, his family will be in their house or on the streets. Tell him everything I told you. He _will_ crack under the pressure. And then we'll attack the Refrain smuggling warehouse, which I think is providing funding for our target group. That is all for now."

He then handed a file to him. "I want it done immediately. Monica, go with Gino."

He looked at the still members of the Glinda Knights and raised an eyebrow. "Well? Why are you still here? You are not of my house anymore. Take your things and leave. Get out of my house. I don't want to manhandle you to simply kick you out of my house. I want all trace of your presence here cleared." His words were cold.

"Edith." He called. A young woman with brown hair and hazel eyes, red rimmed glasses surrounding them, appeared from the kitchen.

"Edith Carston, the Empress has requested a trusted person to be her aide. I have recommended you. Do you accept?"

"Yes, Hikaru."

"Good. For now, I and my team are leaving for a mission. I'm sure you know what took place just now. I want their possessions out of my house and the whole mansion checked and cleaned. Use any means and funds that you want. I want the mansion safe and secure by the time we return. And without any _unwanted_ guests. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Leila, Akito, Gino, Suzaku we're leaving. Get ready to deploy. Ayano, Yukiya, Monica, your duty is to guard the Empress and the Princess. Use all means and equipment. I don't expect your all. I demand and order you to give your all in your task. These are your orders. Are we clear?"

"Roger!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"Dragoon Wyvern, Leviathan, Alexander Liberte, Alexander Wyvern, Lancelot, launch!"

He started to attack the grunts and Knight Police units stationed there.

'These guys, the police are cooperating with them. Scum!' He caught a glimpse of red and his eyes widened. 'Kallen?!'

Hikaru turned his Knightmare towards the Guren and fired at the Knightmares attacking it.

" _Hikaru?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Thanks."_

" _These Knightmares are different from normal. I think they belong to our target, the ones discrediting you and attacking us."_

" _Then we have a common enemy."_

" _Look. Those things have concentric circles on them. That's their insignia."_

" _Circle. That's what they called themselves."_

" _Circle, huh? Looks like we have to divide them into sections."_

He divided them into pieces, literally.

He suddenly turned around and blocked a slash from a sword.

" _The Gekka Shiden from yesterday?"_

He received an affirmative in reply and a greeting. _"We meet again, Zhe Dien. And your partner, Oz is with you too."_

" _Haha, you sound happy."_

" _Of course. I just finished stone upgrades and I've been itching to test them out."_

Blue wings appeared from the Dragoon's back and he flew towards the roof, destroying it and then charged the Hadron Cannons and flamethrower mid-air.

" _Kallen, it's going to get hot. Move away from the location I'm going to dive towards. Is Lelouch here?"_

" _Yes. He is in the air and providing support for those two we met on the island."_

" _Good. Gino and Suzaku can handle themselves."_

He descended in a dive, sweeping towards the warehouse and then accelerated suddenly, disappearing from view and suddenly, blue flames and blue beams of energy hit the two opposing Knightmares. 'Was it a success?'

He smirked as he caught sight of the Gekka Shiden and the Byakuen, burned and damaged.

He unsheathed the Eclipse, electricity crackling across the blade, and pointed it at them.

" _Damn, we're at a disadvantage."_

Oz didn't answer. Suddenly, trailer crashed through the warehouse, hitting the Dragoon. 'Shit!' He turned and fired at the trailer, destroying it.

" _Thanks, Ganabati."_

The two Knightmares disappeared.

" _Don't group Peace Mark the same with Circle. We are different from them. Don't make the same mistake next time we meet."_

He growled as he heard the voice.

" _It is you, huh, Orpheus, Zhe?"_

The two Knightmares suddenly slowed for a second and then disappeared into the smoke.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Thanks, Lelouch, Kallen."_

" _Same goal, that's all."_

The Black Knights disappeared into the night and the Wyverns returned to their mansion.

Hikaru entered his home, only to find Euphie with the Empress, while the other Wyverns were giving him sympathetic looks.

Hikaru gulped at the look the Empress was giving him.

"Lord Alaina, stay. I need to talk with you. The others, please leave."

The room was emptied in a few seconds.

"Euphie dear, that means you too."

 **5 minutes later**

"Lord Alaina-"

"If I may, Your Highness, I request to be called Hikaru. That is my identity that I have carved for myself. It's my pride and life, not the Alaina title."

'Pride? Euphie has picked a good Knight, it seems.'

"Okay then, Hikaru, what are your intentions towards my daughter?"

"I am her Knight and it's my duty and wish to prote-"

"I want the true answer. I have the authority to remove your Knighthood and even execute you, on a whim. So answer my questions truthfully."

"I love Euphie very much like my family. She is very kind, that kindness, her kind soul should be protected. This world will try to corrupt that pure soul. I want to protect her as my family. I want to protect Euphie. That's all. That, is my intention, towards your daughter, Empress."

He didn't hear any words before she stepped towards him.

"Present your blade."

He unsheathed his katana and presented the blade to her. "I, Empress Victoria li Britannia, the mother of Third Princess Euphemia li Britannia, hereby appoint you as my daughter's Knight and guardian, and the blade which protects her and destroys all those who seek to harm her."

He accepted the blade from her, sheathing it.

He then looked towards the door. "Eavesdropping is a bad habit." He then threw a knife towards the door and hit at his targets, the doors swinging open to reveal the Wyverns along with Euphie and Edith.

He sighed and walked over to Gino. "Get Whittaker in a cell."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Let's see. This is all the information you have. Circle is comprised of intelligent guys, that's for sure." 'And they are probably supported by Peace Mark.'

He then said, "In light of your cooperation, Earl Whittaker, you will be released and put under surveillance. If you do anything suspicious, you will be killed immediately. Keep that in mind along with the fates of your family."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gunshots echoed through the shooting range in his mansion as Yukiya fired and hit another bullseye.

"That's 25 in a row." Hikaru observed, standing beside Euphie.

"Yukiya has the perfect upgrade for his Alexander. The Hadron Cannon, sniper version, will be handy for us."

He remembered the meeting the Empress and Princess had with Lelouch and Nunnally. 'That went well, they are the closest with the li Britannia family.'

He entered his Knightmare simulation and then started his battle against the Knightmares of Circle and the Byakuen and Gekka Shiden.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Anna, can to help me this one time? You're the only one that can do this."

"Um, sure. I can help you, Hikaru. Installing this into the Knightmares is not that hard." 'For _you_. It's a goddamned puzzle for us.'

"And are you sure about the Dragoon? It could take a lot of energy." "I'm sure. I can manage. I'll use the sakuradite and nuclear at the same time. And I can use my Geass if I need to." He looked at the design for Yukiya's new Alexander.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. You should worry about Gino though, he has a small habit of going overboard."

"I will."

XXXXXXXXXX

"How are you feeling, Nunnally?"

"I feel good, Auntie."

Lelouch smiled as he looked at the scene. "I've never seen her this happy before."

"That is true."

Lelouch then turned serious. "You have any info on the Circle?"

"I'm trying, Lelouch. But it's hard. They are good at covering their tracks. And they have motivation. Almost all of them are extremely loyal. They didn't reveal anything useful about their hideouts even after I tortured them. And they have many methods. They tried to kill Odysseus by explosives but we were there to prevent it and control the incident from slipping to the media. And they're supported by Peace Mark. Those two Knightmares I and Kallen fought are piloted by Peace Mark members, both of them stronger than normal. I'd say they could defeat Guilford. So, Circle is a dangerous foe. I want to discuss terms of a possible alliance with Zero, so that we can defeat Circle together."

"The park near Ashford Academy. We'll meet there. Come with all your members."

"Alright. You too. I want all the major members of both teams to know about this."

"Fine. We'll meet tonight at 2130."

"Agreed."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hikaru, why are we here?"

"You'll see, Suzaku."

He looked towards the gate as Lelouch appeared in his Zero outfit, Kallen and CC behind him. Tohdoh and his Four Holy Swords were following him.

Many eyes widened as they looked at each other.

"Zero!" Suzaku exclaimed in surprise as he suddenly pointed a gun at him, only to find a gun pointed at him by the redhead.

"It's nice to meet you, Zero. I take it that you have agreed on my proposal."

He walked towards the masked man. He stopped as CC blocked his way.

"I will not let you hurt him."

He smirked in a feral way and pressed a small button. Suddenly, the Dragoon appeared over them.

"I suggest you step out of the way. I want to talk with him and you're blocking me. If I wanted to hurt him or any of you, I could have killed you all with just one single knife. And my Knightmare is operable by remote. So, I'll ask nicely, step aside."

He said everything in a casual and cool tone, being nonchalant about it. He walked past her. "Zero, as I already talked to you about my proposal, I'll put it short. I would like to form a temporary alliance to deal with the Circle and Peace Mark organisations."

Chiba interrupted them. "Why should we help you, _Britannian_?"

"Nagisa Chiba, I believe that you have a younger sister right? Asuka, I think. I heard she was ill. How is she doing now?"

He said his words in an extremely calm tone. "You bastard! How dare you use my sister as a hos-"

"I did not say any such thing. I only inquired of her condition because she looked to be in bad health the last time I talked to her. And don't even consider that I would use family as hostage. I am not without honour and pride. And besides, I don't even need hostages. One small button and you will be destroyed without a trace."

He then turned to the members of the Black Knights who were watching with shock. "Quebec, I trust your mother is well."

"Yes. After your help, she's been receiving better treatment."

"That's good to hear." He turned back to Zero. "I know your answer already but I would like to just elaborate on the alliance and the terms."

"One, you will not be considered terrorists and will not be in any danger of being arrested.

Two, all actions you take will be under my name and you will report to a person of your choice who will, in turn, report to me.

Three, your previous actions will be pardoned and all criminal charges lifted, on account of your cooperation in taking down dangerous groups which resort to terrorism.

Four, your Knightmares will be upgraded and you will also receive funding. You and your family will also receive healthcare at the finest facilities possible.

Five, all of you will follow my orders or Zero's orders. Without exception. Some idiots broke this rule and they were fired.

Six, you will not partake in actions that will result in direct harm towards the members of my unit. Do so and I will kill you brandy, painfully. I do believe that you watched the video sent to the JLF. I can do worse than that.

Seven, your identities will not be compromised. I will grant you protection.

These are the terms laid out by me. Think carefully and give your answer."

 **1 hour later**

"We accept."

He smiled internally, momentarily pausing his playing. "Good choice."

"But we have a condition."

"Yes?"

"I want a guarantee that the members of the Black Knights and their families will not be harmed under any circumstances."

He smiled knowingly at Chiba. "I promise that your family will be not harmed. I will also try and get them better treatment."

He then stood up. "Zero, I formally declare this alliance from now."

He held his hand in a handshake. Suddenly, he shifted and threw a knife towards Chiba. The knife flew past her head and hit a man in the shadows of the trees.

"What?!"

"Wyverns, we have unwanted guests. Prepare for battle."

Suddenly, the Knightmares of the Wyverns appeared and they started firing at the trees, drawing out men with black uniforms, concentric circles on their equipment.

"Circle."

He ran towards the tallest tree, activating his Geass and jumped up, easily reaching the branches, and jumped into the Dragoon.

He started firing at them with the Hadron Cannon, killing them without mercy. The Leviathan and Gawain joined him.

" _Thanks for the assistance, though unneeded."_

He dived towards the ground and drew the Eclipse, slashing at the Knightmares.

An explosion next to him caught his attention as the Guren attacked the Circle Knightmares.

" _These things, they're Hamburgs. Old Knightmares which were scrapped. They're 6th Generation. And they are stronger than the older ones like the Gloucesters."_

The **Hamburg** was a black Knightmare, with blue arms and a head styled like a helmet. It was armed with a chainsaw, a machine gun and an assault rifle. There were also Chaos Mines in its hips. And it also had missile launchers in its torso.

" _It's heavily armoured. Use your RWS in conjunction with the fork knife. Slash and destroy. I'll use my MVS and claws to fire and attack with the flamethrowers."_

" _Alright."_

They started attacking and destroying the Hamburgs. The black Knightmares turf to block their attacks, only to be destroyed in succession.

A group of Hamburgs tried to attack from behind, only to be destroyed by a blue beam of energy.

" _Good shot, Yukiya."_

" _Finish this quick."_

Tohdoh suddenly appeared behind him, slashing at a Hamburg.

" _Thanks but no thanks, Tohdoh-sensei."_

He fired the Hadron Cannon at the Circle's Knightmares, destroying them and causing many explosions.

 **15 minutes later**

He stared at the pieces of destroyed Knightmares. The Dragoon's sensors picked up four new Knightmares in the vicinity.

'Four Knightmares.'

He looked at the screen.

'Wait… they're not coming here?' His eyes widened as he recognised the direction they were heading towards.

He used his Eclipse and pointed it towards the air. A burst of electricity covered the area and he turned towards the exit, dashing towards it.

" _Wyverns, return to base! Kilo and Lima are in danger."_

" _What happened, Hikaru?"_

" _Euphie and Empress Victoria are under attack. The Knightmares are of a new kind. I need to go, Lelouch."_

" _We'll help too."_

The Gawain and Guren moved towards the mansion too.

XXXXXXXXXX

" _Hahahaha, these defenses are very weak."_

" _Please stop causing needless damage, Pollux."_

" _Quiet, Castor."_

The **Aquila** and the **Equus** continued their attack on the mansion, having bypassed the electrified fences and barriers, also destroying the missile turrets.

They were being observed by the Byakuen and the Gekka Shiden.

" _Hey Oz, it just doesn't feel right, attacking them without any fair warning, and that too when they are unarmed. It's like hurting the innocent and weak."_

" _Orders are orders, Zhe. We have to observe these two."_

Suddenly, missiles hit the two Knightmares as the Wyverns arrived.

Hikaru sounded angry, no, scratch that, hateful as he spoke.

" _You fools have sinned by attacking my family."_

The Blaze Luminous turned red and the claws turned blue, the Eclipse activating, electricity crackling across the blade, as the Hadron Cannon and the flamethrower were set in **Burst Mode**.

" _The price for that sin is your life!"_

The Black Dragon dashed forward and slashed at the two Knightmares, crashing the Aquila into the Equus. The flying Knightmare crashed into the four legged machine and flew into a wall, destroying it and falling on the empty road. The Dragoon Wyvern continued attacking, fighting like a berserking dragon, showering its wrath on the two enemies.

" _Die! Die! DIE! DIE!"_

The Dragoon danced around the two Knightmares, slashing and cutting up the two Knightmares into pieces.

 **13 minutes later**

The two Knightmares lay defeated on the road, the ground around them destroyed and filled with craters. The Dragoon hovered over them, it's weapons and wings giving it the appearance of an angel of death. The Dragoon pointed its weapons at the cockpits of the two Knightmares.

" _Wait! Stop! Don't kill us!"_

He charged the weapons and fired, an explosion lighting up the night.

The Dragoon hovered over the bloody destroyed remains of the two Knightmares, the cockpit open and Hikaru looking at the remains, his Geass active and his hair spiked up, lightning and flames dancing across his hands.

This was the scene the remaining members of the Wyverns and the Black Knights bore witness to, and shuddered in fear at the image.

XXXXXXXXXX

Oz and Zhe looked at the fight.

" _That guy, he fought brutally."_

" _Brutal? He looked like a goddamned angel of death."_

The two Knightmares stayed still for a second and then, the Byakuen turned around.

" _Let's go. We're returning to base. Our mission is finished."_

" _Right, boss."_

The Byakuen and the Gekka Shiden disappeared into the night.

XXXXXXXXXX

Lelouch stepped out of the Gawain and met Hikaru, who was still in his Knightmare, a serious look on his face. "Are you alright, Hikaru?"

"If I was late, then they could have died." "You weren't."

"Lelouch, I have a favour to ask of you and Milly. I want I and the Wyverns to stay at the clubhouse for a few weeks. As the mansion is damaged, I want to demolish it and then rebuild it fully, with extra strong materials. I want my team to have a place to stay till the construction is finished. Can you help me?"

"Sure. I'm sure Milly will help you, either in the clubhouse or in her own mansion."

"Thanks. Could you talk to Milly?"

"Sure."

XXXXXXXXXX

"All explosives are set."

"Good. Edith, is the house empty?"

"Yes. All the materials and furniture have been moved to your mansions in Hawaii and Paris. The military equipment has been moved to Castle Lubopianco. The only things left are the Knightmares and the Command Center, along with the spare parts."

"Excellent. And the personnel?"

"The staff are on leave or in Hawaii. The members of the Wyverns are in their Knightmares and the Command Center. The G-2 Command Center is in the jet and the members are in there. The Princess and Empress are in the jet as well. The detonation charges are connected to your Dragoon."

"The graves?"

"That area is the garden is not in the range. And they are covered by six inch solid orihalcum used to make your Eclipse. So they are safe." She gave him a comforting smile. "Thanks, Edith."

He then entered his Knightmare and she the jet and took off.

He pressed a button and the mansion exploded completely, leaving no trace of it. The garden was also partially caught in the blast, but Rei's and Tsurara's graves were untouched.

XXXXXXXXXX

"This is the plan for the new mansion. I want it complete as soon as you can. Use the best building materials and best labour and contractors. The budget is no problem. Use whatever funds you need. The money is no problem. Build everything according to the plan. I want it safe and secure. And all the weapons and defense systems should be checked and working. I demand perfection in this task, Edith."

"Yes, Hikaru."

She took the file containing the plans for the new mansion. The other Wyverns and the Student Council members looked at the plans and jaw dropped.

The expected building was black in colour and made of highly reinforced steel with a special alloy. It had glass underneath it as windows and the building had protrusions which could cover the windows by moving in place. It could be covered by steel in case of an emergency. The windows were made of reinforced glass, which shielded it from weapons including the Hadron Cannon. There was also a highly advanced weapons system in the walls, filled with machine gun turrets, missile launchers and grenades. It also had a Blaze Luminous barrier. The building also consisted of vast space. It had enough space to hold a G-2 Command Center and about 100 Knightmares, along with a few jets. It also had many hangars and garages for Knightmares and vehicles. It also had a shooting range, a dojo and training grounds with simulators for Knightmares. The building was bigger than the previous mansion. There were also many escape routes built underneath. The whole area was reinforced with steel and glass and steel carbide metal. The estate boundary walls were made of the same material as the building. It had statutes of miniature Dragoon Knightmares, about 6-7ft in height, armed with flamethrowers and Hadron Cannons. It also had swords shaped like a katana and also wings. The statutes were lined along the driveway and the walls, along with on the roof. The building could be effectively locked down as a fortress.

"Holy shit!"

"This building is even more reinforced than Pendragon Imperial Palace."

He smirked as he looked at the plan.

'The **Bastion** is my ultimate ace.'

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks for letting us stay, Big Sis."

"Don't mind. Besides, I can gossip and draw some embarrassing things about you from your teammates."

He ignored Milly and went back to preparing a country for the Hamburgs.

'We can easily counter them with the combined strength of the Wyverns and the Black Knights but the problem is teamwork. Suzaku is the main problem here, he can't control his feelings pertaining to the Black Knights. Monica is a slight problem too. And the Black Knights have their problems too.'

He sighed tiredly as he worked on the strategy. 'And the Byakuen and Gekka Shiden are a pain too. If Orpheus and Zhe interfere again, I will have to kill them.'

XXXXXXXXXX

He winced, covering his ears, a high pitched shriek breaking through the calm. "E-eleven!"

His expression darkened as he looked at the hurt looks on the faces of Leila, Akito, Ayano and Yukiya, who quickly regained their composure. He noticed Lelouch have the same reaction. His grip on his pen slowly tightened, the pen cracking and breaking under the force.

"Shut up, Nina." He barked at her, venom in his voice.

He glared at the timid girl. "You insult them and it won't be good for you."

"But they're ju-"

"Just Elevens? Then you are? Just a Britannian. Don't even think that they are below you. They are at least doing something useful. You are not doing that too. And what? You're researching uranium, which is extremely dangerous. And that research would lead to the creation of a bomb. You are still a student and a minor and not in the military. That means, such research is illegal and could land you and your family in jail or worse, executed."

He spoke to her coldly.

"You are _just_ a Britannian, Nina Einstein, a xenophobic, racist, lunatic Britannian. And your racism is the reason the ones I love have been hurt."

"If you could have just kept your stupid mouth shut, Rei would not have revealed herself. If you had kept your mouth shut, Euphemia wouldn't have had to reveal herself. I'll tell you a few things. That racist attitude is going to get you killed someday. You are right now, useless and maybe dangerous to society. You are below my men, Britannian or Japanese. Your research is illegal. Delete it before I make you, it would be messy. Insult my men and next time, you'll pay. Also, if anyone on the Student Council, is hurt due to your stupid and racist attitude, I will _kill you_ myself, _slowly and extremely painfully._ Remember these things."

He turned towards the door and walked out. "Big Sis, I finished that paperwork. I'll be with Nunnally if you need me."

Leila, Akito, Ayano and Yukiya followed him.

'Hikaru, good work.' Lelouch smirked.

XXXXXXXXXX

"How have you been, Hikaru-san?"

Hikaru smiled at the brown haired girl and took her hand in his. "I've been fine, Nunnally. Just tired from work."

"You should not stress yourself out."

She then handed him a paper dragon.

"I made it with origami. Do you like it?"

He hugged her lovingly. "I love it, Nunnally." 'I don't want to hurt either Lelouch or Nunnally. That's why, I'll protect them and all I care about.'

He then continued talking with her, laughing at some of Milly's antics.

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's finished."

He looked at the big mansion.

"Welcome to the Bastion." He entered the mansion, doing a quick check of all the systems and checking them off.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks for the help, Lelouch."

"Thanks for upgrading the Gawain."

"Thank Anna for that."

"She seems a little scared of me."

"I can't do anything about that."

Lelouch then asked a question bothering him from the beginning.

"Hey Hikaru, how much do you earn in an hour?"

He wrote something on his phone and gave it to Lelouch. "I earn that amount in one hour."

The masked man dropped the phone in shock. "That much? I expected high but not that much."

"How do you think Nunnally is getting the necessary healthcare? I paid for much of it and sometimes took her out, for looking at the scenery and shopping. I also took her to the park and the like. You need to spend some time with her, you know. Just because she's safe doesn't mean she's happy."

Lelouch had removed his mask and was shocked at his words. A lone tear slid down his face. "What will the Black Knights think if they're oh so great leader is crying?" He teased.

That brought a few laughs from him. "Thanks, Hikaru. For everything."

"You are family to me, Lelouch. Both of you."

XXXXXXXXXX

He smirked as Asahina and Chiba entered the hangar.

"I want to ask you a few questions."

"Sure."

"How did you know Tohdoh-san?"

"I told you right, Asahina-san? I learned under him when I was in Japan."

"How did you know about Asuka?"

"Tohdoh-sensei and the Four Holy Swords are famed. And I am a hacker too. Surely, it would be easy for me to get into the family database and search for you and your family. But I'm not saying I did that."

"How did you know about her?"

"I asked around. For you and your family. I came to know that your sister Asuka Chiba was in a hospital. However, she was not being treated fairly due to her Japanese status. I had to _convince_ them."

"Convince?" Asahina repeated confusedly.

"Let's say that it involved a few broken limbs, a damaged doctor's office, a few scalpels, threats to stab their eyes with injections, threatening to inject them with lethal doses and many other things which I don't remember."

The two Swords were shocked at his wife. 'He went that far, even when he was a Britannian?'

As if reading their thoughts, he spoke calmly. "Just because I'm Britannian doesn't mean I'm a monster and just because someone's a Japanese doesn't mean that they are kind. The last shred of my childhood was destroyed by Japanese."

He then jumped down from the Dragoon and headed towards the dojo. "Will you spar with me? I wanted to test myself against Tohdoh-sensei's fellow students and loyal followers."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Impressive dojo, kid."

"Thank you, Asahina, but I don't think I can be called a kid. Not anymore."

"You're still younger than us, right?"

"Really, Chiba, I thought women didn't talk about their age."

She blushed at the remark while Asahina laughed.

She glared at the blue haired teen while Hikaru looked back with a cool and challenging look.

He took his sword and took the same stance.

"En garde!"

XXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe we lost to him."

"You need more practice, Shogo. He is not someone who you can defeat easily." Tohdoh's voice cut in.

"Tohdoh-san!"

"Sensei." Hikaru bowed.

"Really Sensei, why don't you just reveal that I beat you once when I was young?" Hikaru said, a small smirk on his face.

"What?!"

"Yeah. This katana was given to me on that occasion."

'He's strong enough to defeat Tohdoh-san.' Asahina looked at him with a new respect in his eyes.

"Tohdoh-sensei, we have a meeting. Could you inform your men about it?"

"Alright."

 **30 minutes later**

"Now, I believe you know about Circle."

"Yes." Zero answered.

"They are the group which somehow managed to hack your Knightmares and manipulate their power outputs. They are the ones playing you like puppets. Our Knightmares are protected by extremely high level encryption, currently uncrackable. I am planning on encryption of all Knightmares. For that, I will need to dismantle them and configure their parts and OS. If I have your permission, I can start today and finish by night. If you are worried, I'll have my scientist and Rakshata to oversee it."

"That's fine. I will also have the pilots look over it, if you don't mind."

"No problem."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Really impressive."

"Why thank you, Miss Chawla."

"Are you alright, Anna?"

The genius scientist stifled a yawn. "Yes, I'm alright." A mewl made them turn their heads towards the cat sitting on Hikaru's head.

"Eliza is friendly with you."

"She likes sleeping on my head. And she liked the food I brought for her."

"But she isn't friendly towards me."

"Try and spend some time with her when you are with Leila. That way, she will start to slowly warm up to you. I befriended a few cats when I was young so I know how to deal with them. And she-" he pointed at the cat sleeping on his head, "- likes to use my head as a bed and likes to food I brought, so she stays friendly towards me."

He stepped out of the Guren's cockpit. "All done."

"How did you get so good at programming, Hikaru? I thought you were more of a combat person."

"I had a _lot_ of free time as a child and I had an aptitude for programming and designing Knightmares. And I have enough money for trial and error. So, it's natural talent and experience." He worked on the other Knightmares of the Black Knights.

 **5 hours later**

He stepped out of the Knightmares, completely finished.

Anna was standing behind him, obviously tired. "Take some rest, Anna."

He called Gino and says, "Can you take Anna to her room?"

The blonde arrived a few minutes later, taking the young scientist in his arms.

"It's all finished, Zero."

He looked at the masked figure standing at the door, along with Kallen and Tohdoh.

"Are you alright? You've been working for more than 12 hours nonstop."

"I'm fine, Kallen."

He tossed Kallen the Guren's feather key. "I upgraded it to 8th generation. Now, we have the Dragoon, Leviathan, Guren, Liberte, Wyvern as 8th gen. The Lancelot, Gawain, Valiant and Florence as 7th gen. I tried to get a float system in the Guren but it takes lots of energy. It's better to not use it much."

"Thanks."

Before leaving, he asked, "Tohdoh-sensei, do you know Zero's identity?"

"Yes."

"Good. I believe that I can trust you to protect this secret. If someone tries to take advantage of this and ever try to hurt him or Nunnally, I'll kill you and them."

He left the hangar, going towards his room.

"I don't know why, but he sounded extremely scary when he spoke." Kallen shuddered.

"That video the JLF received, about the torture, I mean, interrogation, the one who did it was Hikaru."

She gasped in shock.

XXXXXXXXXX

He walked through the park, Lelouch, Gino and Kallen behind him.

"Why are we here?"

"Just a walk. To clear my head. And the night air feels nice today."

Hikaru stopped as his phone rang and answered it. He froze at the voice.

"Lord Waldstein?!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 **And that's a wrap. Hikaru will face the Knights of the Round in the next chapter to save Euphie and the Wyverns' lives. He will win, but it will be a close call.**

 **Stay tuned for more Hikaru badassery. Next chapter, 'Dragon vs Knights'**

 **By the way, Bastion means fortification, I think it's Spanish.**

 **Read and review**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, I present to you chapter 9. In this chapter, Hikaru will be fighting the Knights of the Round. The lives of Euphie and all the members of the Wyverns are on the line. How will he fare and what will be the consequences? Most of the chapter will be the fight and the circumstances leading to the fight and aftermath. And Mao will make a small appearance but Hikaru will help him and suppress his Geass. Look forward to it. A/N: I changed Ch-7 and Ch-8 a bit. Please read them for the change.**

 **Chapter 9**

 **Knights vs Knights**

 **Throne Room, Pendragon Imperial Palace**

"Presenting, Third Princess Euphemia li Britannia and Knight Hikaru Alaina."

They entered the room and walked towards the throne, kneeling to the Emperor.

"We have been summoned, Your Majesty."

"Euphemia li Britannia, you have gone against the basic principles of the Imperial Family. You have tried to protect the weak and thus you have become weak."

"The strong protect the weak, Father."

"NO! The reason Britannian is strong is because the strong devour the weak. I have no use for the weak. That is the true nature of the Imperial Family."

Hikaru registered the words, his fist clenched and shaking.

"You're mistaken, Father." The court gasped while many pairs of eyes widened.

"You insolent fool!" The Emperor stood up in anger. "You dare defy me?! Bismarck, execute this insolent worm."

The Knight of One moved, his sword sheathed and swung it at Euphie's neck.

"EUPHIE!"

A clang echoed as Bismarck's met Hikaru's katana.

Hikaru's Geass activated, his strength starting to increase. He gritted his teeth, glaring at him.

" _Touch_ her and _I will kill you_!"

He put more strength, breaking the lock.

"Rounds! Execute these two!"

Suddenly, many figures sprang out, weapons drawn. His Geass flared as he moved, knives drawn and deflected the weapons, stabbing them at times. He took some wire and wrapped it around the neck of an orange haired man and pulled, suffocating the man. The man tried to grab at it, as the remaining Knights stabbed him, but in vain.

"Hikaru, stop! Don't kill him!"

He immediately obeyed Euphie's order and let go, the man falling to the ground, trying to take deep breaths of air. He immediately turned around and punched the attackers, pushing them back. He drew his katana again, the obsidian blade clashing with the Knight of One's sword.

A small amount of lightning ran through his body and he kicked the older man in the gut and punched him, knocking the sword out of his hand and pointed the katana at his neck, simultaneously pointing a gun at the other Knights, glaring at the Emperor.

"Emperor Charles zi Britannia, I am Princess Euphemia's Knight. I am her sword and I will destroy all which try to harm her. Your Knights have tried to harm her and I _will kill_ them. However, doing that would make me a traitor and I know what that means. The li Britannia family will be banished and then my name will be revoked, my unit attacked or executed and my companies too. The members of my companies will also be attacked. So, I would like to challenge you and your Knights."

The Knight of One kicked the sword out of his hand and pushed him to the ground, his leg on his neck.

"The great Knight of One of the Holy Britannian Empire, said to be Britannia's strongest Knight, has to resort to attacking his foe when he's distracted, and defeat him." He mocked, loud enough for all to hear.

"Quiet, boy." Hikaru glared back at the Knight of One.

"Let's see. The strong devour the weak, was it? Then, I will fight your Knights of the Round and defeat them. _All_ of them. That will be proof of my strength. Then, I will decide what to do. As my Princess orders me to. The Knights of the Emperor against the Knights of Princess Euphemia li Britannia."

He received no answer. "What? No answer? Are the Knights of the Round, the Knights of the Emperor's, scared of facing a teenager, far less experienced and weaker than them? Is the Emperor scared of his Knights falling? Is that all? The _mighty_ Emperor of Britannia, not so mighty, huh? What do you say?"

"Knights of the Round, Charles zi Britannia orders you, crush this insolent fool in battle and execute him."

"Yes, your majesty."

Hikaru kicked the Knight of One off of him and stood up, sheathing his katana.

He then helped up two of the people he had kicked down by mistake.

"Are you alright, Carter, Sarah?"

He asked the young black haired man with golden eyes and the young woman with dark platinum hair and crimson eyes. "Yeah." "It's alright." "That's good."

He looked over his shoulder and said, "Get ready, Knights of the Rounds. I will crush you and prove my strength. _When_ I win, I will state my demands. And if _anything_ happens to my team or people, I will destroy Britannia, that's a promise." He glared venomously and left, guarding Euphie.

 **1 day later**

"Carter Gregan, Sarah Allerston, do you swear yourself to me and protect me and mine?"

"Yes, your highness." Both of them said in unison.

Hikaru smiled as the two of them were dubbed Knights.

 **4 days later**

Hikaru looked at his Knightmare.

"Are you alright, Hikaru?" He turned around to find Euphie, looking at him with concern.

"Euphie, tomorrow, if the worst happens, take the Wyverns and the jet, along with Cornelia and the Empress. Go to Japan and in my room in the Bastion, there's a special mode I installed. It will activate by the command of anyone of us. Activate it and the Bastion will go into full lockdown mode and will fly to Castle Lubopianco. There are enough supplies to last many months. I also have money in the accounts. Using that, create fake identities and live in the EU or in China. Or else talk to Lelouch and tell everything that I told you. He will do something about it. Keep some money for yourself and then give it to them. They will protect you and the others. Tell the Wyverns that my last orders are for them to join the Black Knights. And don't blame yourself for anything that happens to me, Gino, Carter or Sarah. And remember, Euphie, that I love you like my sister and always will consider you my dear sister."

He hugged her and left.

 **The next day**

"Are you worried, Hikaru?"

"I'm alright, Sarah."

She hugged him from behind. "You know, Hikaru, you still haven't changed."

He didn't say anything.

"This is the plan. All three of us will go together. First, we take out 12 through 8. Then 7 through 3 and 2 and 1 separately. As much as possible, I'll try and hold them off while you take out the others."

They all nodded at the plan and entered their Knightmares. Hikaru nodded at the Wyverns who were there.

"All the best, Hikaru, Sarah, Carter."

"Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru, Sarah and Carter entered the big arena from one end, their Knightmares fully armed and ready for battle, the cockpits open. They had the same appearance, with some small differences.

The Dragoon was upgraded again, as it had a small change in colour and the MVS Claws were removed, now being silver in colour. The Eclipse was also upgraded. The flamethrowers and the Hadron Cannon were now set in Burst Mode and could be changed back. There were also missile launchers and machine guns in the limbs, along with a Hadron Cannon and flamethrower in the chest. It had a few more katanas. The Blaze Luminous was also improved. It's name was changed again, now christened the **Dragoon Omega**.

Sarah's **Dragoon Alpha** had additional Hadron Cannons and flamethrowers in it, along with an additional katana.

Carter's **Dragoon Ares** was equipped with melee weapons, mainly additional katanas and chokutos. It also had a few more flamethrowers and Hadron Cannons.

All the Dragoons seemed ready.

"Here we have, folks. Hikaru Alaina, Sarah Allerston and Carter Gregan, the Knights of Princess Euphemia. They appear to be confident, considering that they are facing the Knights of the Round, all twelve of them, at the same time. They are at an odds of 1:4. How will they fare?"

"We don't know, Ken. But many people are betting on the Rounds winning this battle."

"That's obvious, Jeff. The Rounds are the twelve strongest Knights in the empire."

The three of them blocked the announcer's useless words.

"Sarah, Carter, we have to win, no matter what."

"Sure, Big Bro." "Alright, Hikaru."

"And there she is, Princess Euphemia and the Wyverns unit, Hikaru Alaina's special unit."

Hikaru immediately looked at the box, eyes widening as he spotted them.

He growled audibly. "Damn him!"

They entered their Knightmares and switched the systems on.

They opened a private channel for communication. _"Sarah, Carter, we can't lose." "Understood."_ 'That Suzaku guy and Monica girl were acting strange last night.' Carter thought.

"And here they come, the Knights of the Rounds, give them a round of applause, people!"

The crowd began to cheer as the Knights of the Round entered the arena in their Knightmares.

'Galahad, Mordred, Percival, Gaheris, Pelleas, Geraint, Lionel, Gareth, Agravain, Ector.'

'However, the Ector, Lionel are just customised Gloucesters. The Galahad and Gareth are modelled from the Gawain. The Mordred is equipped with a Hadron Cannon. Extremely powerful.'

'The Gaheris, Percival, Pelleas, Geraint are equipped with A Hadron Blaster, which shoots off bursts like ours in the Burst Mode. The problem is…'

'The Agravain.'

'We don't know what it's made of, who its pilot is…'

'And we don't know what it and the pilot is capable of.'

Euphie's three Knights watched as the cockpits opened and the Knights of the Round stood up.

'Our main opponents are Bismarck, Alstreim, Bradley, Bishop, Ernst, Murdock and Suzerain. And that Agravain and its pilot. We can take out Enneagram and Calhoun.'

'Let's see. There are only 10 of them. 11 and 12 are not yet knighted.'

"And folks, here we have, yet newest Knights of the Round, Knight of Eleven, Suzaku Kururugi and the Knight of Twelve, Monica Krushevsky! Give them an applause, folks!"

The announcer's words caught them all off guard, as the Lancelot and Florence entered from the other side of the arena, weapons ready.

Hikaru growled as he looked at the two new Knightmares.

" _Suzaku, Monica, is it really you?"_

" _Yes, Hikaru."_

The Wyverns gasped as they heard the voice. "Suzaku… he joined the Rounds?"

" _Hikaru, can't we stop this fighting? The odds are overwhelming for you."_

" _Stop this fighting?"_

" _I revealed your fighting style to the other Rounds when I joined."_

" _Monica, did you tell them about me too?"_

" _I'm sorry, Hikaru. But, the Emperor is stronger then Princess Euphemia and you can't possibly win against them."_

" _Can't win against them… was it?"_

" _Why don't you leave the Wyverns along with the others? If you ask for forgive, I'm sure that-"_

" _SHUT UP, YOU TRAITORS!"_ Sarah and Carter shouted in unison.

" _Hikaru trusted you and protected you. How do you think you were able to get this far, huh?" "He made you strong, risked his own life to protect your worthless lives and this is how you repay him?"_

" _All of them trusted you and you left it for what, a higher position and a good life?"_

" _You don't understand. We had a rea-"_

" _Shut up, Suzaku Kururugi, Monica Krushevsky. You TRAITORS don't deserve to talk to me and my family like that."_

He activated his weapons. _"You've made your choice. Then face the consequences. We will break you too, along with them."_

"Woah, woah, stop there. Take the fighting in your Knightmares."

The Agravain's cockpit suddenly opened and a man in a mismatched black and white outfit, with a mask covering his face, stood up.

"Look, it's Wizard!" Murmurs spread through the crowd as they looked at the Knight of Two.

Hikaru froze as he looked at the Knight of Two. The other two Knights also had the same reaction.

" _Hikaru, that guy…"_

" _I know, Carter. He is the man who killed my parents."_

" _Hikaru, I will-" "No, Sarah, Carter. This is a battle to protect our family. Don't show feelings into this." "But!" "Please, Sarah."_

She quieted down after his request.

They all took their positions.

" _Sarah, Carter/ Hikaru, Sarah/ Hikaru, Carter, break them."_

"Battle start!"

XXXXXXXXXX

The Omega launched forward, the Alpha and Ares following him as they went towards the Lancelot, Florence and Lionel. _"Manouver Epsilon." "Roger."_

The three Knightmares fired their long range weapons, drawing their katana at the same time. As the dust from the explosion cleared, the Dragoons slashed at the white Knightmares, pushing them back from the sheer force.

In a mere 5 minutes, the three Knights of the Rounds were defeated and lay on the ground, their Knightmares ripped apart.

" _Know this, Kururugi, Krushevsky, Calhoun, we will crush you all."_

He turned towards the Ares and said, _"Carter, take out Alstreim. We will handle the others while you do that."_

" _Understood."_

The Dragoon Ares flew towards the Mordred and immediately attacked, pulling out all the stops.

Hikaru attacked the Pelleas, Gaheris and Ector with the Eclipse, while Sarah fought the Gareth and Geraint.

" _Murdock, Bishop, Ernst, you are strong. But I will defeat you."_

" _You have defied the Emperor and for that, you must die!"_

" _I won't die, Bishop."_

Hikaru fired the missiles at the Gaheris, and grabbed Ector with a hand, firing the Hadron Cannon at a close range and destroying its head, causing a small explosion. He fired the flamethrower at the Pelleas, stopping its attack.

He watched on the screen as Sarah fought the Gareth and Geraint and quickly fired a burst of flames behind her. _"Luciano Bradley, don't dare touch her. Your opponent will be me."_

In an utterly impossible move, he started fighting all four of the Knights, holding his own.

 **4 minutes later**

Hikaru blocked another hit from the Pelleas and striked with the Eclipse, cutting the arms in half. He then fired the Hadron at a close range and destroyed its Factsphere sensors, decapitating it. He then fired the VARIS at the damaged Knightmare and destroyed it, the cockpit being propelled back.

'Now, I have to deal with Bishop and Bradley. Carter's done with the Mordred and Sarah is almost done too. With Carter's help, they can take out Suzerain and Enneagram while I crush these two. Then we have Wizard and Bismarck. Those two will be dangerous.'

He clashed swords with Bishop, the Eclipse pushing back the Gaheris. He activated **Narukami** and lightning hit the Gaheris, stunning it. He then swung at the Percival with the additional katanas he carried.

A few moments later, he kicked it away and attacked the Gaheris again.

A blue beam of energy hit the Gaheris from the side, blasting it into a wall.

" _Sorry."_

" _Be careful next time, Carter."_

He then fired the flamethrower and the Hadron Cannon at the Gaheris, the same time the Narukami hit him.

The combined attacks caused a huge explosion, kicking up a lot of dust. As the dust cleared, it showed the sight of the destroyed Gaheris, Bishop badly wounded.

XXXXXXXXXX

Sarah grunted as she dodged another attack from the Gareth and Geraint. Carter countered their attacks while she attacked in close range. A few minutes later, they attacked together, combining their attacks and took out the Gareth.

The Geraint soon followed, being blown off by the combined force.

Suddenly, a loud explosion caught their attention and they raced towards the dust on instinct, seeing the box in the cloud of dust.

The dust cleared. The Dragoon was standing over the box, its Blaze Luminous activated.

" _No… HIKARU!"_

The said teen was in the damaged open cockpit of the Dragoon Omega, a gaping hole in the red shield showing that the attack was too powerful. The back of his T-shirt was destroyed and showed the blood on his back, the wounds healing slowly. A piece of shrapnel was also stuck in his arm.

The Alpha raced towards the Omega, only to be stopped by a hail of missiles.

The Agravain stood in her path, the Percival moving towards the Omega while Carter fought against Bismarck.

They heard Hikaru growl. "Luciano Bradley, you have sinned by attacking my family. The price for that is death."

The Omega turned around, its wings appearing again.

'The Radiant Wave Surger is activated now. I didn't think I'd need it.'

He then sent a message to Sarah and Carter, telling them to fall back and activate the RWS.

" _Use the Omega as cover."_

The Alpha and the Ares broke off from their fights and the Omega appeared before them.

 **1 minute later**

" _Hikaru, I'm finished."_

" _Good. Sarah, take Bradley. No mercy. Kill him. Carter, leave no trace of Wizard while I crush Bismarck."_

Sarah moved towards the Percival, the machine power output vastly different from before.

The Percival tried to attack in hopes of hitting it, but they were dashed by the female pilot.

The Dragoon Alpha grabbed the Percival with its clawed hand, the other held out before her.

" _You have hurt those I care about, and the punishment for that is death."_

The Percival started to bubble as Sarah pushed a button.

" _What is most important to you? Your own life?"_

The orange haired Knight screamed as the Percival exploded, leaving no trace.

" _Good work, Sarah. Fall back and recover. Stock up on anything needed and provide support if either of us needs it."_

" _Understood."_

Carter attacked the Agravain with fierceness matching that of a dragon. He unloaded everything into the opposing machine, systematically destroying it. He suffered injuries from the armaments of the Agravain but overall, was safe. He slowly but surely gained on the Round, bisecting the Agravain with the Eclipse and then grabbed it with the RWS. In a few moments, the Knight of Two was dead, killed without a trace.

XXXXXXXXXX

The Black Dragon clashed with the Knight of One.

Hikaru activated his Geass and attacked vigorously, gaining on the big Knightmare. The Eclipse clashed with the **Excalibur** , his previous katanas destroyed.

'I need to find an opening to destroy that MVS then I can systematically break him.'

They continued their duel for a long time, the Knightmares and the arena slowly taking damage.

Hikaru suddenly fired the Slash Harkens at the Galahad and then the Hadron, making the Galahad entangle itself to escape from the destructive beam.

" _Got you._ _ **Blue Bolt**_ _!"_

Electrical currents spread through the Slash Harkens and electrocuted the Galahad. Hikaru then caught the Excalibur with the RWS and activated it, the weapon starting to bubble and then exploded.

He immediately fired the Hadron Cannons at the opposing Knightmare.

" _Today, you die."_

The Galahad suddenly struck back.

" _You are still inexperienced. I have my Geass and I can see your every move."_

" _Well, you shouldn't have told me that."_

The Dragoon Omega disappeared in a sudden burst of speed.

Electricity started to crackle around him, the open cockpit showing the blue sparks. Sarah and Carter looked on in awe as Hikaru activated his Geass. 'His Geass, it's different from mine.' Both of them thought in unison as the Omega attacked from all directions, the black Knightmare leaving afterimages and trails of blue flames on the ground, big lines from the Hadron Cannon making it impossible to move.

" _Even if you can see it, it's no use if you can't counter it."_

A blast from the flamethrower hit the float unit and damaged it, while the Hadron Cannon destroyed the limbs.

As the now limbless Galahad fell to the ground, the Dragoon hovered over it.

" _Let's see. How should I kill you? Burn you? Use the RWS? The Hadron Cannon in full power? The Eclipse? Or should I drag you out of that cockpit and kill you with my own hands?"_ His cold and sadistic voice shook those who watched. _"Hmm… I have a better idea."_

The Eclipse pierced the head of the Galahad and dragged it through the arena, towards where the Emperor was sitting, shocked at seeing his Knights beaten easily. He threw the Knightmare at the man's feet. "You know, Bismarck, you, Wizard and Bradley could have maybe lived if you didn't try to kill Euphemia and my team, especially when they were defenseless. That was what made me snap. You could have gotten out with a few injuries but you chose the other way. And the price for that is death."

The Hadron Cannon activated and charged its attack.

"Bismarck was your first Knight and your trusted man, wasn't he, Charles zi Britannia? How does it feel, to see your trusted subordinate be killed before your eyes?"

He fired, the sheer power destroying the Galahad without any trace.

'With this, the Knights of the Rounds have been crushed.'

Sarah and Carter flew next to him and landed, their imposing figures looking down at the Emperor.

Hikaru jumped down along with Sarah and Carter.

"These are our demands." Hikaru started.

"You will obey all these demands, or you will be removed from the throne and Princess Euphemia li Britannia will become the Empress. Then she will follow through with our demands anyways.

The Wyverns unit will be autonomous and will not be under the authority of anyone but Princess Euphemia. We will obey orders from no-one except ourselves.

The Wyverns will be above the regular military and thus will not fall under anyone's jurisdiction. No matter what actions my unit takes, there will be no consequences.

All the companies, industries and groups of the Alaina, Allerston, Gregan and Weinberg families will be safe from any action taken by Britannia, that means, they will not be under any legal action, no matter what happens.

The wars with the EU and the Chinese Federation will be stopped, effective immediately. Negotiations will be carried out and the empire will only defend itself but not attack.

The Number system will be abolished, effective immediately. All the Numbers of the Areas will regain their previous name.

All discrimination will be stopped. The Areas will become Specially Administrated Zones where people of all races, ideologies and pasts will live together.

The former Numbers and the Britannians will be treated equally in _all_ fields.

The whole of _Japan_ will be under the control of the li Britannia family. The final say will be with them, in all decisions.

All the Specially Administrated Zones (SAZ) will be run by people of our choice. Any fights will be resolved without discrimination.

All those who discriminate against former Numbers will be arrested and judged on the severity of their crime. The same goes for the others too.

Terrorists will be treated according to international laws if they surrender and dealt with on basis of their crimes, if they don't.

The OSI will be disbanded and its members integrated back into normal forces. All records of their operations will be handed over to us.

The Wyverns, the families and companies of the li Britannia, Alaina, Allerston, Gregan and Weinberg will be safe from all dangers.

The Ashford family and the Breisgau family will regain their nobility, along with all the former noble families.

The investigation into the disappearance of Empress Claire ki Britannia and the assassination of Empress Marianne vi Britannia will be started again. We will receive _all_ information and evidence related to those cases.

The orders given by my unit will be absolute, and no-one can disobey it.

If we feel that we do not like or agree with your conduct, you will be removed from the throne, and if you do not comply, we will kill you. That will make our master the Empress according to the laws of conquest.

These are our demands. You have two choices. Accept them or die."

XXXXXXXXXX

"H-he did it."

"He b-bea-beat the Knights of the Rounds."

The Student Council looked in awe as Hikaru and the Knights stated their orders. They turned around and mounted their Knightmares. They flew into the air.

" _Britannia! World! The Knights of the Round have fallen. The Emperor has been defeated. He has agreed to our demands. From now on, all Britannians and former Numbers will live together, as equals. Those who have held on to hope, rejoice. Your prayers have been answered. Your name, your pride, your honour, take it all back. Take it back with pride and confidence. As of this day, your home has been returned. Take it, as a price and an apology for all the wrongdoings we have done to you. If you can, forgive us for all the atrocities we have committed. However, help us in making this world a gentler place, where everyone can be kind to each other without hatred and anger."_

"Wow. He sure does know how to give speeches." Rivalz commented.

" _For those who still commit atrocities and hurt the innocents, be ready to face my wrath. All those who seek to create a new world, seek us. All those who aim to create chaos and hurt the innocent, fear us! We, the Wyverns, will hunt down all those who hurt the innocent. The weak devour the weak and the strong protect the weak. We will protect the weak and the innocent, for we are the strong."_

He ended the speech and all three Knightmares landed.

"Wow, he is an extremely good public speaker."

"He is, Rivalz. He had to grow up very quickly. This is the result." Milly said.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Euphie's Knights won, Nunnally."

"Really?! That's a very good news!" Lelouch smiled and put her to bed. 'Hikaru is the strongest of them all. He defeated the Knights of the Rounds and he was hurt too. His Geass is too strong for me to surpass.'

XXXXXXXXXX

Kallen looked at the TV in awe, mesmerised by the speech.

'He won. Against the Emperor's Knights.'

The Four Holy Swords looked shocked at his declaration while Tohdoh looked proud.

Lelouch appeared in his Zero outfit and said, "Our ally has crushed the Knights of the Round. He has beaten the 12 strongest Knights of the Empire, our most formidable opponents. And he has cleverly manipulated the conditions."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Shogo, he has made his unit invulnerable to anything. Even if he announced his alliance with us now, he and we won't be affected." Tohdoh elaborated.

"That's clever."

 **2 months later**

Hikaru looked at the garden, where Nunnally was talking with Euphie and Sarah, Carter watching over them. "Are you alright, Hikaru?"

"If you are asking me about my Geass, Lelouch, I kind of overloaded it. The amount of lightning I generated was equivalent to, I don't know, almost 100 times required to run the Tokyo Settlement for a week. My body is still a bit weak from that overload. I lost control of my Geass at that instant."

"Then, you mean-"

"No, I still am able to control it. My Geass is permanent. I can use it without requiring to activate it. And that is the ultimate advantage. But that is a disadvantage as well. I am not able to consciously control it when I am overwhelmed by my emotions."

He turned to look at the teen and then said, "We still haven't received any information into those two cases. At least I wanted to know what happened to Empress Claire, as a means of showing my gratitude to Kai."

"Kai? Kaizaren?"

"Yeah. He saved me and my whole squad but he died in the process. I want to find out what happened to his mother. It was his only wish."

Lelouch was silent for a few seconds before answering. "I see. I will try to help you too."

Hikaru then asked in a serious voice, "Anyway, what about that guy? The mind-reader?"

"Mao is still a nuisance."

He thought back to the encounter he had with the Chinese Geass user, 3 days back.

XXXXXXXXXX

 _The Wyverns went through the various stores in the mall, looking around._

 _Hikaru stiffened as he heard disoriented clapping from behind him._

" _Very impressive, Hikaru Alaina. You beat the Knights of the Round and also cleverly manipulated the Emperor."_

 _Hikaru turned around, looking at the silver haired man with a pair of headphones, wearing a pair of shades and dressed in a white trench coat._

" _Who are you?"_

 _He didn't receive an answer for a few seconds and contemplated on taking his balisong._

" _Please don't stab me with that knife of yours. I am not a terrorist you see."_

" _Oh then why are you here?"_

" _I just want to talk to you. You know about CC, it seems."_

" _CC? What about her?" 'Is he a Geass user too?'_

" _Correct. I am a Geass user as well."_

" _Mind reading. What do you want?"_

" _I want to know where she is. In return, I will give you information pertaining to Circle."_

" _Interesting. I will give you her location but she will decide whether she wants to see you or not."_

 _He looked at the man and then said, "I will try and talk to her. If she wants to, she will meet you in the Tokyo Central Park at midnight. If not, I cannot do anything about it."_

" _Tell her that Mao wants to meet her. If she does not come, then I will make sure to leak your military secrets to Circle."_

 _Hikaru stood still, watching as the man disappeared into the crowd._

' _His Geass, it's out of control. So he can read the minds of everyone around him, whether he wants to or not. He is insane. I can tell from his body language.'_

XXXXXXXXX

Hikaru looked at the Chinese man before him.

"CC will come in a few minutes. I want to talk to you."

"I don't want to."

"What if I say that I will help you in controlling your Geass?" He smirked at the Chinese man's reaction and stepped forward.

"Your Geass is too strong for me to suppress normally but I will try in a different method."

He suddenly punched Mao in the gut and jaw, knocking him out.

 **30 minutes later**

Mao woke up, seeing Hikaru, Leila and Akito before him along with Lelouch and CC.

"Well, all methods failed. So I have to try it the other way."

He then turned towards Mao. "Mao, go into my mind. Focus only on my mind."

Hikaru activated his Geass at the same time.

 **Inside Hikaru's mind**

Hikaru stood before Mao, only the two of them in the vast field.

"This is my mind. What emotions can you feel in me, Mao? Try to focus on my emotions only, no memories or thoughts."

The white haired man stayed silent for a few moments before he started to utter some words.

"Happiness...Joy...Tranquility...Sadness...Despair...Fear...Frustration...Anger...Hatred...Kindness...Mercy...Cruelty...Irritation...Disdain...Disgust… And more. I can see them. All of them."

"You have an idea of what they feel like?"

"Why should I focus on your emotions?!"

"Now, try to use your Geass on yourself and search for those emotions. Grab hold of them. Fill your mind with these emotions."

 **Outside**

"What happened? It didn't feel like you did anything."

"I tried to make him focus on his emotions. That way, he could fill his mind with those emotions and then stop focusing on the thoughts of others. He will be able to read the minds of others but he will not be bothered by them and focus on the thoughts of others." Hikaru explained as Mao awoke.

"I am not able to hear anything. I can't hear anyone's thoughts."

'Well, that went well.' Hikaru then said, "Now, I don't think you need CC to come with you anymore. You can control your Geass and hence, now you have lost the ability to unconsciously read the minds of others."

 **The next day**

 **Tokyo International Airport**

Mao entered the flight after bidding farewell to the group.

'Hmm… Maybe I will join the Empress and her group as their adviser and intelligence officer.'

Hikaru watched the plane take off, headed for the Chinese Federation. "CC, I did it because he could endanger me and my family. This is the result of you not taking responsibility as a Code Bearer. Next time, don't grant Geass to someone and if you do, nurture them, instead of leaving them for dead."

He left the airport.

XXXXXXXXX

"The Developing Technologies Exposition will be held in Paris this year. You want to go there? I got free passes for the team."

'Of course, Hikaru, you would get free passes. Obviously, you are world famous.'

"I and Sarah will be heading to the Vermillion Forbidden City today for negotiations with the Chinese Federation along with Leila and Akito. Slowly, for next 2-3 months, we will be carrying out negotiations. We will be travelling in our Knightmares and a jet. So you won't see us here for the next few months. We will be calling when we have the time."

They waved goodbye and entered their Knightmares, their pilot suit cum military gear giving them an air of professionalism.

'I hope the negotiations go well. I don't want to cause wars between countries.'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **That's a wrap. I think I did well on the first scene between the Knights of the Rounds and Euphie's Knights. I changed the pairing to Hikaru x Sarah (OC x OC). Euphie will be paired with Lelouch. The pairing will not be known to the team till a few chapters.**

 **In this chapter, Hikaru has effectively made his unit immune to any action by the military and the Emperor. They have three highest authority. And due to his demands, he is now famous for liberating the Numbers. So the terrorism has decreased by very high numbers. And Cornelia still doesn't know about Lelouch and Nunnally.**

 **That's all, I think. Oh and please review. I like to know what my readers think. Chapter 10 still being written. Next chapter, 'The Chinese Federation'.**

 **Read and Review**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	11. Chapter 11

**Greetings, my readers. I am back with another chapter. Though I told that this chapter would be about the Chinese Federation, I changed my mind. I am planning on writing a few flashback chapters, like how Hikaru met the group and also the scenes of when he joined the army, in this chapter.**

 **A/N: Guys, I need reviews to improve my writing. My family thinks not many are reading my fic so I need reviews to prove that I am a good writer and I can get a computer to type on. Then I can give you more chapters easily. I will accept all reviews and constructive writing. Light flames are accepted but not heavy, unreasonable and uncalled for flames.**

 **Also, can someone draw fanart for the Knightmares and the characters? I am no good as an artist. And I also need ideas for the Knightmare Frames. Please give me ideas in the reviews or by PM.**

 **Read and Review**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Past Memories**

 **Hikaru POV**

It was the year 2005. I was with my mother and her friends in Paris, for a meeting of sorts. The meeting was not to be for a few weeks. A girl's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Hikaru, come on, let's play." I smiled and got up, looking at the girl. Blonde hair like her mother and violet eyes. "Hello, Leila." My mother Setsuna was talking with Leila's mother, Claudia, and I nodded, leading her to the garden. We played there for a few hours before being called back. This continued for a few days before the meeting started.

Bradow Von Breisgau, better known as Assemblyman Breisgau, Leila's father, was holding a meeting and currently giving his speech. What we didn't know was that tragedy was going to strike us that day.

Leila stood next to me, smiling happily as she looked at her father giving his speech, inspiring millions of people, I myself one of them.

"It is the duty of the people to protect their homeland. We have won our freedom. It is our responsibility to protect our freedom. But it comes at a cost. The cost of human lives-"

BOOM!

A huge explosion rang through the premises near the stage, immediately destroying it.

"Assemblyman!" "Papa!" Leila shouted beside me while I tried to search for my mother. My mother Setsuna was standing beside Leila's mother Claudia. I took Leila's hand and ran towards the two women.

"Hikaru!" "Leila!" A man wearing an army uniform grabbed us. "Claudia, take Leila and leave. Hurry." Claudia immediately grabbed Leila and rushed towards a group of cars. I and my mother were following the pair. We entered different cars and sped off in opposite directions.

"Mom, look. They're going in the opposite direction." "Oh no! That road is damaged! Quick, turn back!"

We turned around, going after the car that the two were in.

Meanwhile, Leila crawled out of the burning car, looking at her mother, eyes brimming with fear and concern. "Leila, run away." Claudia said weakly as she was losing blood fast, being stabbed by a piece of shrapnel. "Mama!" "Run away, Leila. Go away from here." A few moments later, the car exploded, making the little girl run away in fear into the forest. I and my mother arrived at the same instant. "Claudia!" My mother ran towards the car.

"Setsuna, sorry I have to burden you with this. But please, look after Leila. I am not going to live for long. I just know it somehow. I will join my husband. But please, look after my daughter. Teach her the things I couldn't."

Setsuna was crying as she realized that her friend was going to die. "Yes Claudia."

I looked around for Leila and immediately bolted into the forest, following a set of footprints.

Meanwhile, Leila spotted a frozen lake and ran over it. A mistake. The ice started to crack and she fell. As the darkness began to consume her, a hand pulled her to safety.

Leila's violet eyes widened in confusion as a green hooded woman spoke to her.

"Do you want to live? If you have power, can you live? This is a contract. Accept this contract and while you live in the world of man, you will live unlike any other. A different providence. A different time. A different life. The power of the kings shall isolate you. If you are prepared for that, use it. But if you do not, the power will destroy itself by the time you reach adulthood. If you are prepared to use it, there will be no turning back. If you do not, it will cease to exist." The woman then left with a group of hooded children following her.

Leila's left eye glowed with the symbol of Geass and she started to lose consciousness.

"Leila!" Hikaru arrived in time to watch her fall and caught her.

 **2 days later**

It was 2 days since that incident. It was dubbed The Assassination of Assemblyman Breisgau. 2 days since Leila lost her parents. I was sitting on a chair next to the bed she was sleeping on, while my mother was talking with the doctors about her condition.

As she woke up, I walked towards her.

"Leila, how are you feeling?" "Where are Mama and Papa?"

My face was strained as I heard her question and then hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Leila. I'm sorry." She started to sob as she recalled what had transpired.

"Mama and Papa are…" "Sorry, Leila." Setsuna watched, able to do nothing, as I tried to comfort her.

 **5 days later**

"What do you mean? Why can't you allow her to come with us?"

"We apologise but the Breisgau family has defected from Britannia so we don't know what will happen if Leila comes with you. In Paris, she will be safe, with the Malcal family and with my help."

"But-"

"It's important that she be safe and she will be if she stays here!" My mother couldn't say anything at that argument and resigned.

"Alright. But I want letters from her and also I want to know how she is doing every week. If not, then I will take Leila with us to Britannia."

 **5 years later**

I remembered everything that happened clearly.

'That promise, she won't be writing letters to us anymore. Not when mother and father are dead. I hope she is fine.'

"Big brother, where are we going?"

"We are going to that hill, Tsurara. We are going back home." I told her, leading her to the top of the hill. However, tragedy struck that day as she was killed by a group of soldiers.

XXXXXXXXX

It was the year 2012, the month of December. 2 years had passed since Japan was conquered and Area 11 was born.

It was 2 years since my sister, Tsurara, passed away, tortured and killed by a group of drunkards. And it was 2 years since I was taken in by my father's friend's family. They were alright. Rei is a good person and a good friend to me. General Jason Zukari too. He takes care of me like his own son. And he taught me many things too.

I looked at the car and entered it, moving towards the corner and took out a book. 'A General Essay on Tactics, written by Guibert. A good book, if I say so myself.'

I continued reading, turning a page every few seconds. Rei slid in next to me, looking over my shoulder into the book. "What are you reading?"

"The book I was reading a few days before."

"What is the language? It's strange."

"It's French, Rei. I bought this book and other editions of it when I went to Paris."

'I have been interested in becoming a general or something in the military. And that feeling has intensified after my return from Japan. I want to fight so that no one loses the one they love, like I lost my family.'

 **30 minutes later**

Rei shook me lightly, drawing my attention to her. "We're here." "Huh?" I looked at the building, finding the magnificent building. "This is…"

"The estate of Empress Victoria li Britannia and her daughters." Jason told me as I stepped down. We walked towards the entrance, where we were greeted by two guards.

They checked us for weapons and gave us the green light.

A few seconds later, I looked at the folding knife in my hand and sighed. "Is this the level of security in the estate of the Empress?"

I started to play with the butterfly knife in my hand, flipping it and spinning it between my fingers.

"Your Highness!"

I stopped playing immediately once I heard Jason's voice and hid the balisong in my sleeves. Empress Victoria li Britannia was walking towards us, her two daughters following her. "How are you, General?"

"By your kindness, all of us are still alive." 'Ah that's right, Empress Victoria was Jason's superior.'

"Hello." A female voice spoke right before me, prompting me to look up. I immediately jumped slightly, as Euphemia was standing right before me, looking closely at my face. "I didn't see you here before. Are you Rei's friend?"

I stayed silent for a few moments. 'This girl, her personality, she reminds me of Tsurara. She reminds me too much of her.'

I clenched my fists as bad memories started to assault me but stopped myself from lashing out. "Yes, I am Hikaru, Rei's friend." I answered in a strained voice.

"Hello, I am Euphemia, but you can call me Euphie." "Hello, Euphie."

I stayed around for a few moments before retreating to the garden. I took the knife and started to play with it, not noticing Cornelia walking towards me.

"You." She said sternly. "What are you doing here?" I turned my head towards her, momentarily pausing the knife play. "I'm sorry but I didn't understand your question."

"I asked what you are doing here when General Zukari is talking with Empress Victoria and also where you got that knife."

"I am here because I was, honestly, bored of the military discussions and I liked this place. And this knife, I carried it with me." I answered with a straight face.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Euphemia suddenly asked from behind her.

"Euphie!" She exclaimed in surprise. "Big Brother Schneizel is here."

 **3 minutes later**

I looked at the chess board. 'Cornelia will lose. Schneizel is able to think many steps ahead of her. Even though it looks like Cornelia is winning, Schneizel is leading her into a trap. But that trap is not obvious.' "N-2 to c6, R-2 to b4, R-1 to f5…" I started to mutter as I looked at the board, plotting the various moves.

Prince Schneizel suddenly turned towards me and asked, "You seem like you are interested in the game. Would you like to play with me?"

"Huh? Me?" "Cornelia, would you please move? I think it would be better to indulge your guests." He said with a charismatic smile. "Uh, yes."

I sat on the chair, looking at the board. 'Well, looks like I am playing black then.'

As Schneizel moved a pawn forward, I smirked, taking my king and moved it.

"The King?"

"If the king does not lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?" I quoted Lelouch.

"You were my brother Lelouch's friend, I take." "Yes, I used to play with him. It was a draw every time we played."

"Then I can win, I guess."

"You know, if Lelouch can't win against you, it doesn't mean that I can't win against you."

"Ho, interesting."

 **30 minutes later**

"Checkmate."

A round of gasps echoed around us as I announced the game.

"I win, like I said I would. We three are like rock, paper, scissors. " I then stood up.

"If that is all, then I will take my leave."

I walked towards my previous spot and started reading my book.

Suddenly, I shifted as I heard simultaneous screams. 'What happened?'

I moved slowly, a hand on the balisong. A crowd was gathered around two people.

'Isn't that Euphemia?'

My heterochromic eyes widened as I recognized the situation. 'A hostage situation!'

"Don't come near me!" The man holding the girl hostage shouted. I started to slowly approach, making my presence known on purpose. 'Because I am a kid, he will underestimate me. And he is careful enough to not hurt Euphemia. But, according to the books I have read, the assassin will normally have a few things, a pill, a poisoned knife or something to kill himself. But with the way he is talking, he does not possess a pill. So, poisoned knife it is.'

I suddenly dashed towards him. "Let the girl go!" He caught me too, making me smirk.

"Hah, stupid kid. What do you think a puny kid like you can do?"

I stood still for a while, taking the balisong as discreetly as possible. I felt a hand hold a knife at my neck. "If you do not accept my demands, both of these brats will die." 'Die, huh?'

"Calm down. We are discussing about your demands. Just release them." Jason tried to reason. I sighed internally.

"Hey, you know what? Let the girl go. She is just some random girl."

"What?" "I am the son of a duke. I have loads of money. Let the girl go. She will be a hindrance when you escape. I want to help you too. Leave the girl and take me. I can give you information about the security detail of Pendragon."

My smirk widened as the hold loosened slightly. 'Hook, line and sinker.'

"I also have lots of money. Just get me out of this stupid country and I will give you my money too. I am fed up of these idiots here."

"Hmm, it's a good deal."

He released Euphemia a few moments later. The girl ran towards Cornelia, while I gripped my weapon tighter.

'If everything goes according to plan, then the idiot will be captured or killed and I will walk away without a scratch. However, due to the existence of Murphy's Law, something will go wrong and both of us will get hurt. Ah damn. I'll just wing it if I need to.'

I suddenly moved, my arm moving at dangerous speeds, stabbing the man's legs with the knife and then kicking him, while twisting the arm holding the knife away from me. I then stabbed the arms and wrists of assailant with my knife, continuing to stab the open palms. A stab to the stomach followed by a low kick brought him to his knees, where the knife found its place ready to stab the man's eyes. "You made a mistake trusting me." I said simply, my voice cold and emotionless.

"You bastard!" I moved my hand again, ready to stab the man's eyes, only to be stopped by Jason. "Stop it, Hikaru. It's over."

I flipped my knife closed a few moments later and kicked the man's jaw hard, knocking him out. "Take him to a cell or something. Before I kill him."

I then walked back to his previous spot, taking my book and continuing to read it like nothing happened. 'Hmm, nothing happened to me.'

"You brat!" I turned around as one of the guards ran up to me, a gun pointed at me.

The sound of gunshots resounded through the air as I was hit, the bullets going through my stomach and arm.

"Hikaru!" Jason shouted in worry as he ran towards me.

The same man stabbed me with a poisoned knife and then killed himself with a pill.

I fell down, slowly losing consciousness, the pain blocking everything out.

 **1 day later**

"Are you alright, young man?" I looked to my right to find a young woman with black hair and golden eyes, wearing a lab coat, looking at me.

"Raleigh?" "I'm surprised you recognize me."

"Well, apart from the pain, I'm pretty much alright." "Cheeky brat."

I tried to laugh. Keyword, tried.

"Where did he stab me? I'm having trouble even laughing."

"You should be thankful that you are even alive."

"Really? How long was I out?" "1 day, surprisingly." "Surprisingly?"

"Normally, a grown adult would be out for 2-3 days based on the poison, position of wounds and the amount of blood that they lost. The estimate for you was 1 week."

"Well, I think I should be sad. I wanted to skip school for some time."

The door opened as Jason and Rei rushed in, only to be stopped by Raleigh. "Tohsaka, move." "No, he needs to rest."

I smiled looking at the three of them.

 **3 days later**

"What are you searching for?"

"My balisong. I can't find it." I continued searching for the knife.

"Don't worry. You can always buy another one, right?" "No! It's not just a knife." I snapped at him. "It was the gift my parents gave me. It's very important to me." The balisong suddenly hung before my eyes. "Here, I took it when it fell down. Tohsaka didn't want me to give it to you when you were in the hospital. So, I kept it safe."

I snatched it from his hands, checking it for any damage. Jason smiled sadly at him. 'To think that a child has to hold onto a keepsake from his parents so desperately… that knife is his anchor. I am afraid to think of what will happen if he loses something or someone dear to him.'

"Daddy, it's Euphie. The three of them came here." Rei barged in.

 **5 minutes later**

I sat down on the sofa, facing the li Britannia family.

"I would like to thank you for saving my daughter."

"I did what I felt was right, Empress." I answered. "Besides, I don't want people to go through the pain of losing a loved one." My voice took a sad tone as I spoke and I then said, "What happened to the two assailants?"

"Unfortunately, the two of them committed suicide."

"I see." "Hikaru, my brother is hosting a party. Will you and Rei come?"

"Of course." Rei interrupted us while I did not answer.

After they left, I went to the garage and towards the Knightmares.

 **5 hours later**

 **A party in Prince Odysseus' residence**

I looked at the girl whom I had bumped into.

"Are you alright?" I asked, holding out a hand for her.

I looked at the girl, her dark platinum hair partially covering her crimson eyes. "I'm Hikaru Alaina. You are?"

"Sarah. Sarah Allerston." 'Allerston? Wasn't that the name of mother's friend? Julia Allerston, I think. And this girl, I think I saw her when she was playing with Tsurara.'

"Sarah? Where are your parents?"

"I don't know. I was playing with my friend and I couldn't find them."

"That's a problem right? We should go search for them, they could be worried about you." I took her hand and led her around. We found her mother a few minutes later.

"Sarah! I told you not to run around." "Sorry. Look, I made a new friend." She dragged me before her.

"Hello, . It's good to see you again."

"Hello, Hikaru. How are you?" "I'm fine."

"Um, if it's not much trouble, could you spend some time with Sarah? She would be-"

"It's alright."

I led her to another part of the big room. "Do you know my mom?"

"She was my mother's friend. I met her a few times."

As we began to talk, a familiar voice interrupted us. "There you are, Sarah, Hikaru."

I turned towards the source of the voice, finding a boy with black hair and golden eyes.

"Carter." I nodded at him. "Hello, Carter." "Hey Sarah. Where did you run off to?"

"Now now, let her off the hook." "Fine." He sighed as I gave a small grin.

"Hey, are you guys bored?" "Yeah."

"Then, why don't we head to my house?" Sarah suggested with a smile. "Your house?"

"Alright. I'll ask Tony to drop us off."

 **30 minutes later**

The children exited the car, the number of three somehow increasing to 7 with Rei, Euphemia and Cornelia joining in, along with a blonde kid with blue eyes. "Gino. Behave or I will kick you out." I warned him as we entered the estate.

"Woah, it's as big as our home." Euphemia commented while I looked around. "Hasn't changed much." I muttered.

All of us went inside and got to know each other. 'Gino, Sarah and Carter are planning on joining the military too, just like I and Rei. I guess Cornelia will join, obviously.'

"Say, Sarah, do you have any games around here?" I asked, looking at the TV connected to a console. "Sure, I have some games with Knightmares fighting in them."

She brought a game with the picture of a black Knightmare on the cover.

"What is that Knightmare?" Most of them asked, puzzled.

"The Dragoon." I answered. "Well, I am lucky, I guess. I was the one who submitted the entry for the Dragoon. Looks like the creators liked it."

"Really?" "Wait. Hikaru, you were the one who created that monster?" "Carter, it's not a monster. And yes, I created it. When I join the military, I will have that built for my use."

I switched on the game and watched as the introduction played out.

"Here. The main character is not shown. In this version, the main character's Knightmare is either the Glasgow or the special version Dragoon. I know. I was the one who gave the creators the idea of not showing the main character and of giving two choices for Knightmares."

I input my name, selecting the Dragoon.

"Why are you choosing that? It's hard to pilot." Sarah complained while I just took hold of the controls. "Okay, let's go." 'Dragoon, launch!'

 **2 hours later**

"Damn!" I cursed lightly as my Knightmare dodged another hit. "Having to fight 3 Dragoons and an army of Glasgows gets extremely annoying extremely fast."

I destroyed another horde of Glasgows, the claws of my Knightmare glowing blue as they ripped many Knightmares to shreds.

Meanwhile, the others were just gaping at him. "He reached the last level in 2 hours?!"

"It's not that hard once you grasp the basics. The rest is just tactics."

 **30 minutes later**

I sighed tiredly as I dealt the last blow. "Finished finally."

"You know, you could make lots of money like this if you completed these games in record time." Gino said. "It's a hobby for me."

We continued to talk with each other, forgetting the time swing by, the world unknown to us. I started to laugh as Gino joked about some silly pranks he had executed.

 **5 days later**

"When will you be coming back?"

"I don't know, Hikaru. The war is still going on." Jason said as he ruffled my hair.

"Look after Rei." "I know. Anyway, can I use those simulators?"

"Sure, do whatever you want to." I smiled and waved as Jason went to his car, going to the Middle East.

 **5 months later**

"I'm sorry to say this but General Jason Zukari lost his life in service of the country in saving his fellow soldiers."

Rei fell to her knees as I tried to process the news. My face showed no change while Rei was sobbing.

'Jason is dead. He died in the line of duty. At least he died with a good deed for which everyone will respect him.'

I comforted Rei as she sobbed, mourning the loss of her father. I looked at the soldier who had delivered the news. "Could you…?"

"Yes. I am really sorry about your loss."

 **1 year later**

It was the year 2013, the month of November. 'November 8, today is Leila's birthday.'

I looked at my companions and nodded. "The train's coming."

"Sure, Omega Dragon."

I sighed as Carter called me by my game username again.

"Shut up, Carter."

The sound of the train started to increase in volume as it drew closer. 'A cargo train?' "Well, that's our train."

"Hey, it's not slowing down." Sarah commented.

"Well, we're joining the Legion division. Surely you didn't expect it to be easy, did you?" I asked rhetorically, flipping out my balisong. "We're gonna have to jump." I ran towards the train and stopped a few feet away from it.

"Come on, the thing's not gonna wait for you." I bent down and gave them a push, all the while many candidates fell to their death under the train. Some of them gave up altogether.

I stabbed the balisong into the side of the compartment and took out my other one. Using it as a grappling hook, I climbed the train. 'Man, doing all that physical training paid off.'

"Thanks, Hikaru." "Don't worry."

I then retrieved my knives. The train continued to move along the tracks.

 **1 hour later**

A burst of cold wind hit us as the train moved over the sea. The storm over the area contributed to the rain currently drenching us, making our clothes stick to us. Gino looked to the front of the train. "Hey, are those things supposed to be there?"

Two poles stood at the entrance of a tunnel and there was an electric current passing through them, the amount high enough to be visible. "Should we jump in the sea?" Rei suggested, seeing a few of them do the same.

"Bad idea. The sea is stormy and the fall is very high. And if we do jump, there may be rocks or something in there. Besides, we may get attacked by the sharks in the sea or be affected by hypothermia. So that's a bad idea." Carter said as he looked at the sea below, the waves crashing against each other, the few who chose to jump down falling to their deaths.

'Okay, so, metal conducts electricity and by the amount of electricity there, I think that we can make an electromagnet. And we need something with high conductivity. I don't think we have rubber gloves or shoes here.'

"Hey, does someone have rubber gloves or shoes?" Receiving no answer, he sighed. "Something with high concentration of metal?" "Well, I've got a meal that's rich in calcium." An angry glare shut the blonde boy up.

"Do you have knives or the sort? Made of highly conductive metals? We are gonna need them to survive right now."

"What's the plan? I have a few knives with me now." Carter said.

"Good. We need to go _into_ the train. This is made of shock-proof material. Once we get in there, we can think of something later."

Gino jumped down into the partition, followed by Rei and Sarah. Carter followed as well. I stayed on the train, counting.

"Hikaru, the door's open. Come in quick." Carter called. As I was about to jump down, I heard a familiar scream. My head immediately turned to the source, finding a blonde girl with violet eyes, about to fall down from the train, barely holding onto the edge.

"Leila?!"

 **Leila POV**

'How many years has it been since that day?' The thought ran through my head as I looked at the sea below the bridge, the stormy sea swallowing people up whole. The rain poured on, me hands wet and hair sticking to my face.

"What should I do? Those electric poles don't seem be stopping at any time."

Suddenly someone shouted, "Move, bitch!" and I felt a pair of hands push me aside.

An involuntary scream escaped my lips as I almost fell into the sea below, barely holding onto the edge of the coach.

A few screams echoed in my ears as some of the candidates slipped and fell into the sea below.

My hands started to slip, the rain coating the metal in water and making it difficult to hold on.

A moment later, I fell, falling into the sea below. A pair of hands grabbed mine, a grunt being heard. "Are you alright, Leila?" A voice asked over the howling winds.

I tried to open my eyes. "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

Heterochromic blue yellow eyes greeted me as I looked at the person who had saved me.

He pulled me up, a small smile gracing his face. "Thank god! You are safe."

"H-Hikaru?"

 **Normal POV**

Carter looked as Hikaru saved a girl from falling to her death. 'Who is she?'

Hikaru helped her up and carried her in his arms. 'Probably hurt her leg.'

"Carter, Gino, help me." He passed Leila to them and then jumped down, just in time as they passed the poles.

"Whew, safe." He stood beside the door, leaning on the wall.

"So, first things first, Hikaru, who's she?"

"Leila Breisgau, my childhood friend. She lived in Paris and I saw her today on pure coincidence."

He introduced her and then looked around at the inside of the train. 'Mainly cargo.'

"Shouldn't we check the cargo? They may have something useful for us."

"Good idea, Leila."

Lots of cutting cargo open later, we found four things.

"Food." Gino said immediately.

"First aid equipment."

"Clothes."

"Backpacks."

"Military grade radios."

"All the equipment needed for setting up camp, I mean, the military version of camp." 'Tents and rucksacks. The next thing will be long.'

"Weapons." 'And dangerous too.' Hikaru's eyes were immediately drawn to the combat knives and sniper rifle.

"Oh! Before we forget, here, let me introduce another person. She had the same idea and was inside the train before us."

Gino pointed towards a light pink haired girl with rouge-red eyes.

Hikaru put his hand out for a handshake. "Anya Alstreim."

"Hikaru Alaina." He nodded and then went towards the cargo. "Here, everyone, take a fresh set of clothes and change into them."

"Where?" Sarah asked the question.

"One side of the room will be for the girls and the other will be for us. Now, unless you want hypothermia, then I can't do anything." He then dragged a crate filled with weapons towards a wall and sat down, checking on each piece of the equipment. "If nobody has any problem, I'll be taking the knives they have. More specifically, the balisongs and a few combat knives. And i'm taking the M1 Gerard variant along with the handguns." He then took the guns, changing into the set of clothes that he had taken. 'Hmm, uniforms.'

His uniform was black in colour with blue highlights. He also took a coat similar to his one and strapped the knives to the various holders, along with the guns. Two balisongs were hidden in the sleeves. He leaned the rifle against the wall. He too leaned against the wall and started playing with his knife. "You're still holding onto that knife I gave you?" Leila asked as she slid down beside him, her uniform the same colour as Hikaru's. "Yeah. It was your gift, right?" He looked at the knife, which was blue in colour with a black dragon on the handles. Gino and Carter were sitting together, talking about random things. Rei and Sarah were doing the same. Anya was beside Leila, fiddling with a phone.

"So, how have you been, Leila?"

"I have been good. Though my brothers could be better."

"Brothers?"

"Yes. I was adopted by the Malcal family. My brothers, Daniel, Stephan and Ioan. However, I wish you were my big brother."

"Big brother, huh? It's been a long time since someone called me that." He said, melancholy and sadness in his voice.

"Hikaru, what happened? What about your sister, Tsurara?"

"She's dead. She died in Japan."

"What?!" "She died when we were in Japan. He was tortured by a group of drunk Japanese bastards."

He was shaking as an evil smile adorned his face. Leila put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Hikaru."

"No. Don't."

"Huh?" She looked at his face, which was twisted into a visage of savagery.

"I will make them _suffer_ , the same way my sister suffered." He clenched the knife tightly, the blade digging into his hands, blood falling onto Leila's hands which were holding his own.

A sudden jerk caught them unawares and they fell on their sides.

"Leila, get off me." Hikaru said from underneath her.

He walked towards the other boxes.

"Take the food, weapons, radios and backpacks. Stuff what you need and leave what you don't. Search all boxes."

He took a bag and put weapons and radios in it, along with food, and a fresh change of clothes. His discarded clothes lay on the ground and he took his knife, tearing them.

"If we need to, we can use these as bandages."

Leila did the same as him, substituting weapons and radios with more food and medical equipment, her choice of weapons being the same as Hikaru.

A small box fell overhead on the blue haired teenager. "Ouch."

Various USB shaped objects fell from the box. "These are…"

"Knightmare keys."

"Carter, Gino, search for any goddamn Knightmares in this coach."

"Sure thing, Omega Dragon." Gino said playfully.

"Get your ass moving, Alpha, Bravo." He retorted.

They returned a few minutes later. "Nope."

"Maybe, our next destination has the Knightmares and we're supposed to operate them with these keys." Leila gave her input.

"But how do recognize the Knightmares?"

"It's simple. The Knightmares have a program that allows them to be used when a key is inserted and then programmed according to that key." Hikaru said as he took a handful of keys, passing one each to each of them. He took five for himself and passed two more to each. 'Hmm, 5 left. I know that Rei, Gino, Carter and Sarah are good pilots, so 3 should suffice for them. Leila and Anya each have 3.'

"Anya, how much experience do you have with Knightmares?"

"My simulator score is 95."

Gino whistled at that. "Wait. Hikaru is 98 and you are 95. So, you are the second in our group."

"Alright." She said in a monotone voice. 'Lack of a reaction.' Hikaru noted.

"Leila?" "78." 'Wait what?!' Hikaru sighed.

"That does it." He passed 3 keys to Anya and then gave 5 to Leila.

'With this, the rookie has the highest number of access keys and the ace has the least.' He then turned to the said rookie. "Leila, if there ever comes a need for pairing up or forming groups, you're coming with me. No arguments." She nodded.

"Next, Carter with Gino. Rei with Sarah. Anya, where you go is your choice. You can come with us, go with Rei or with Gino. Understood?"

"Alright!" "Fine." Anya replied in her signature monotone voice.

"Now what?"

"Now, my dear younger sister, we wait."

 **2 hours later**

Hikaru woke Leila and Rei up, Sarah being woken up by Carter. "Wake up, the train's stopped."

They waited a few minutes for the doors to open.

Hikaru suddenly kicked the door impatiently, the metal door falling with a loud sound.

The sounds of their surroundings were heard clearly as they stepped out. The sounds of a…

"Forest?" Sarah voiced their thoughts.

Hikaru meanwhile armed himself and then jumped down from the train, his boots hitting the muddy ground. 'Tch, just what we need. Now that we have these uniforms, we can identify who is a candidate and who is not.'

As the remaining members of his group followed him, he took his knife and suddenly threw it towards a tree.

No sound was heard and suddenly, a body fell down, a gun in its hand.

"Survival battle, huh?" He walked towards the body, only to find a different uniform from theirs on the dead man.

He smirked evilly and threw another knife at another tree, simultaneously firing a shot. Another body dropped from the trees.

He turned to the group. "What are you waiting for? Unless you want to get picked off like flies, start fighting or start running."

He started shooting at the trees, picking the snipers off like flies.

"Let's go."

 **3 minutes later**

'Right now, it has been 3 minutes since we left the train. And we faced a few snipers, who were all dealt with by Hikaru. But how can you remain so nonchalant, brother?'

Hikaru who was walking beside her said, "Today was not my first kill. My first kill was in Paris. After your father's assassination. Someone tried to kill you and I was the only one there. Besides, after what I went through, I became used to killing. And I have no problems killing people when they try to steal, the lives of those I care about, apart from my life."

"Wait." Carter said. "Can you hear that?"

The sounds of boots against the ground were magnifying as they drew closer. Hikaru suddenly drew a katana from his coat.

"Well, I have been thinking of trying out one handed katana wielding. Perfect opportunity."

He lunged at his would-be attackers, a bloodthirsty grin on his face, a katana in one hand, slowly unsheathing it. The black blade seemed to bend around the light, not reflecting any light, as he started to slash at his opponents. Just as quickly, he threw the scabbard into the air and kicked it towards the neck of one and stabbing his heart. Another one followed as he was decapitated with a clean cut. The sheath started to fall to the ground, only to go into the air again with a kick, the hurricane kick repelling his attackers, only to be shot, the gunshots echoing in the forest as they fell, a single hole in the heads of each of them. The teen was still grinning through all this, while the others watched the carnage taking place. In a mere 30 seconds, the group of 10 was reduced to a pair of 2.

The teen stopped at that point, kicking the men down, painfully stepping on their legs. He pointed a gun at each of them. "If you don't want to die, then could you please tell us what the objective is?" He asked in an all-too-calm voice.

"Tch. Why should we tell you?"

Hikaru didn't answer for a second.

"The forest is to the north of Pendragon. I think it's Strys Forest. Said to be the most dangerous forest in the world. And the animals that are here, include, but are not limited to, tigers, wolves, foxes, hyenas, wild banshees, poisonous snakes, pythons, deadly insects, poisonous frogs, etc. Even include the cape buffalo, the cone snail, the poison dart frogs, alligators, crocodiles, even the black mamba. There are also sightings of the reticulated python too. And there are also aggressive primates said to be here. What's more, the whole forest has a certain tree in it that makes the animals more aggressive. Meaning, they will attack once they hear you scream or do something that disturbs them. Now, I will make you scream until you give me all the information you have and I will just leave you here to your death. By the time I am done, you won't be able to move and certainly not outrun the animals in this forest. And it will hurt too. So I am asking nicely. Give us the information and the objective. Then you can just leave this place alive. And I know that we are being watched and I don't care, this is training for war and in war, everything is fair."

"Go to hell, you fucking brat!"

Hikaru sighed and shot two times, the bullets hitting the kneecaps. "One more kneecap and many more joints left."

He shot again. "Next time, I will stab you with the knives from the train. Those things are poisoned, you know. Well, mine anyways. I used the cargo and some chemicals there to make some poisons, including cyanide. And this variant is _extremely_ painful."

"We are not telling you anything." "A pity."

Two knives found their way into the gunshot wounds.

"I can continue this for all day."

 **20 minutes later**

The rest of his group looked away from the brutal torture as Hikaru carved into the flesh of the barely alive men.

"Thanks for your help."

"P-ple-please, k-kill us."

Hikaru considered his choices.

"Hmm, I guess that a few animals are coming here. Wouldn't want to get caught up in the stampede, so, no can do."

He then turned to his group, his body clean, despite the carnage he had caused.

"Let's go. We are in one part. The main tower is in the centre of the forest."

He walked towards another part of the forest, katana placed in a scabbard, now at his back. The guns were now holstered to his legs.

He stopped for a moment and looked over his shoulder. "I'm not waiting." He looked at Leila with his piercing eyes. "Leila, I promised your mother that I'd protect you. If you don't come, I will make you, even if I have to take you dragging or even knock you out and carry you. Don't think that I won't do that. Right now, my priority is keeping you _safe_ , not _happy_. And I don't care what I have to do for that."

He turned towards Leila, still on guard while he watched her, his eyes daring her to disobey. He moved suddenly as he heard a noise. Nothing appeared for a while. Suddenly, he darted towards Leila, stabbing his katana in the ground before her. She shrieked in fear while something long moved towards him and a pair of fangs bit his arm, digging into his flesh and drawing blood. He recognized the creature that bit him. Multiple tears started to appear as the snake bit him in his arm repeatedly. 'Damn!' He grabbed the reptile with his hand, stomping it under his boots. The snake thrashed around, but met its end by a knife placed in its head. As the wriggling thing stopped moving, he tore off his sleeve an immediately stabbed himself in his arm with his katana, making his companions gasp. The blood started to flow freely, dripping off his hand. His face showed his pain. 'Good thing that it was a not a fast-acting poison. And that particular type of snake injects poison in small quantities, so the poison, at worst case, will have reached only my elbow or a little above , stabbing near my shoulder would be best. However, the blood loss is high due to the blood vessel that I pierced. But that amount of blood lost would ensure that there wouldn't be more poison than is lethal in my body. But still, that poison and the blood lost would be a severe handicap.'

He glared at the dead snake and retrieved the knife, flicking his wrist and swiping the knife, the blood falling onto the ground. He turned to Leila. "Leila, I _will not_ ask again." She seemed hesitant and started to slowly walk towards him. He then walked beside her. "The tower that's in the centre. That's the goal. And there are Knightmares in some locations in the forest. Well concealed. Look for them in crevices, thickets and hills. There, you can find them, probably. If you want to, follow us. If you don't, don't. The time limit is 15 days. There are many dangerous animals in here. The snake is, in game terms, beginner level. Be careful. I'd advise that you wear full body protection, gloves, high boots, helmets or some type of head-gear. They are all in the set of clothes. I kept two sets of each in your backpacks." He informed them, a knife in one hand and his gun in the other. "Keep your weapons ready. There are also various soldiers from the Legion, either as foot soldiers or as shooters, mostly snipers, at various locations. Their goal, stop you from reaching the tower. They will use any means to stop you, that, I can say for sure. And the animals here are extremely dangerous and aggressive too. There's only one thing I can say. Be on guard always." He then looked over his shoulder. "I hope you don't die. I don't want to miss you guys." He continued walking in the direction he was previously going towards. The rest of the group were about to walk towards him.

Suddenly, Carter shouted, "LOOK OUT!" and dragged them away as suddenly, a grenade exploded before them, separating them and creating a big cloud of dust. The group was separated from Hikaru and Leila, each member being blown away by the explosive.

Flames and smoke consumed the area, the weather making it look ominous and dangerous.

XXXXXXXXXX

 **And that's a wrap. The next chapter will be about the Legion test. I think that it will take up the majority of the chapter.**

 **Expect the next chapter in… I don't know. I'm not sure as I have my exams till 13th March. That's all I can say right now.**

 **Read and Review**

 **HikaruAlaina**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello people. Back with Chapter 11. This chapter will contain the remaining part of the test, along with some family bonding between Hikaru and Leila. This chapter will also contain the conclusion of the Legion test and the scene where Hikaru and Leila join the opposing armies (Britannia and EU). Mostly, it will focus on Hikaru and Leila's side but may also focus on the others. Enjoy reading!**

 **Chapter 11**

 **The Legion's Reaper**

Leila started to wake up slowly, moaning in pain as she tried to sit up. The coat covering her body fell to the ground and she shivered. 'Why is it so cold?' She looked down, only to almost shriek, as she was only in her underwear.

A strong hand clasped over her mouth. "Please don't scream."

She relaxed slightly as she recognized the voice of the boy she considered a brother. "Why am I…?"

"You were wounded in that explosion. Nothing serious. I had to treat you for wounds. And I couldn't administer first aid properly without removing your uniform."

She looked down at her arms and legs, which were now bandaged and also felt a bandage at her back and shoulders. "Not serious?"

"Meaning that they were small cuts bunched together. So I just applied bandages on the whole area. It's been 4 days, so I think you can remove it. And your uniform is there."

He pointed to the bags where her uniform was laid cleanly on a cloth.

She got dressed in a minute and then said, "It's okay now." He turned back towards her as she sat down on the small bed he'd created out of the spare tents and cloth, occupying one end of the bed while he occupied the other.

"It has been 4 days, and it's night right now, so I'd say that we have 10 days left. And we have been separated from the others. However, we now have a tent and a bed, along with a source of water and some food, in the form of fruit. And the area where I laid out camp is safe."

"Safe?"

"I found a crevice facing a mountain on three sides. So, no storm winds to worry about and the only side, I built a small wall with a few rocks and firewood and then set fire to them. And the tent's covered too."

She looked at him in surprise and then said, "Turn around and take your shirt off."

"Huh?"

"Please." He took off his shirt and she gasped. Various wounds littered his back, some still fresh while others were closed.

"You… you protected me from the blast, right?" She did not need an answer as she recognized the look on his face and suddenly hugged him, tears freely falling from her violet eyes. "D-don't hurt yourself for me again. I don't want to lose my brother."

He removed himself from the hug. "I will hurt myself if it means I can protect you, Leila. I couldn't protect my sister back then. Let me protect my sister now."

She looked at his eyes and then asked, "Then why?"

"Huh?"

"Why did you act like that back then? You could've protected th-"

"No!" He exclaimed suddenly, his eyes starting to show a hint of fear.

"I don't want to. I don't want to let people become close to me. I'm scared of the pain that comes, the pain of losing a loved one. So, it's better that I destroy any bonds before they are even formed."

"Then why me? Why choose to protect me?"

"It's because I already have a strong and deep bond with you. And I love you, Leila. You are my beloved sister. My family. That's why I want to protect you. However, the others, I don't have a bond that strong. Then, it's better that I just destroy that bond."

"Will you listen to my request?"

"What?"

"The next time we meet them, promise me that you will protect not only me but also them."

He gave a hollow laugh, his eyes showing sadness and anger.

"I'm sorry, Leila. The only thing I _cannot_ do is protect."

XXXXXXXXXX

"It's been 4 days now. And we took some rest for 2 days. And we need to proceed with extreme caution if we want to complete the objective." Carter said as he led the group towards the tower, which was clearly visible.

"What do you think happened to Hikaru and that girl?" Rei asked.

"They're safe. I doubt that Hikaru would die from that and he wouldn't let that girl die, so both of them are safe."

"I hope you're right." Sarah said.

Anya meanwhile just watched as the interactions took place.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Hikaru, are you alright?" He winced slightly in pain. "Sorry, but this will burn." The blonde continued to disinfect his wounds, wrapping bandages around the wounds. "I don't think that we should move for a few more days." Her voice was laced with determination and tones of order and authority.

"Fine." He sighed. "We'll stay for as long as required. But once it's 6 days from the deadline, we leave, no matter what."

She nodded as she moved before him, treating the wounds on his arm and torso.

"But still, how did you make all this?"

"I used what was available. The crevice has a small stream flowing through it so I built a barrier around to keep animals and other people from entering. And for extra precaution, I used firewood to create fire. You know, people are afraid of fire. And the tent, I made it by using the tents we have."

"Made it?"

"I tore them and then stitched them back together to make a tent big enough for two and then made bedding using the leftover cloth. I also used the old clothes, the wet ones, for the bedding."

"You used those clothes?!"

"Don't worry. I used only mine. Yours are still in the bag. After all, I don't think you'd be happy with your clothes being used as spare cloth." He teased lightly and then said, "But have you been eating right?"

"What do you mean by that?!" She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"Don't worry. I'm saying that you feel very light. Hell, I didn't feel that much of a struggle when I carried you from there to here in 5 hours."  
He cursed internally as Leila's face shifted. 'Oh shit! I didn't tell her about how she got here.'

"You carried me?"

*Sigh* "Yes. I carried you in my arms while I just tied the bags together and carried them on my back."

"Why? You could have-"

A hand found its way onto her mouth as Hikaru ruffled her hair slightly, making her eyes widen. 'He used to do this when we were young. It was his way of showing his affection and love.' "I won't leave you, Leila. That's a promise. I will protect you."

He then poked her cheek. "Anyway, have you been eating right?" He asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Or are you on a diet, to impress your crush, huh?"

He laughed as her face turned red instantly. "That's not it. I just-"

He stopped her from retorting. "Calm down, younger sister. I'm just teasing you." His face turned serious again. "But seriously, what's wrong, Leila? You are very light. And also, your eyes seem to be sad, just like mine." He looked at her. "I know that feeling. I saw that feeling in my own eyes, many times. Regret, sadness, fear, loneliness, anger, hatred, love, affection, gratitude, everything."

She was surprised as he continued to talk.

"Your anger and hate are directed at yourself. For not being able to protect your family and friends. Regret at not being strong enough to protect those you care about. Fear of being lonely. Sadness and loneliness. The sense of being alone, even in a crowd. The feeling of not belonging in the place you are. The fear of losing those you care about. Love, affection and gratitude for your family and true friends. For being there for you when you needed them the most." His voice then took a different tone. "And, resolve. The resolve to do whatever it takes to survive and make sure that your beloved ones survive. The resolve to protect." He turned to her with a proud look on his face. "Don't lose those emotions. No matter what. Those emotions are what make us human."

Both of them stayed silent as she took in his words. She nodded slowly as her eyes gained a determined look. "I will not lose those emotions. I will remain human, no matter what."

He smiled as he then stood up. "Hey Leila, you know aikido, right?"

"Ah yeah, but not as much as I wanted to before signing up for this."

"Well then, what are you waiting for? I'll teach you."

"Eh? You are ranked in aikido?!"

"You could say that."

 **A few days later**

"You're getting better, Leila." Hikaru complimented as he held his hand for her to take and pulled her to her feet.

"T-thanks."

They then sat down on the bed and talked some more about the test.

"But I didn't think they would keep the test in Strys Forest. This is one of the most dangerous places in the world."

"How do you know about that? Normally, no one knows much about this forest. But you talked about it as if you had-"

"I was able to hack into a Legion database and checked about the Legion entrance test. All possible sites, all the methods and all the tests."

She gaped at him in disbelief as he continued. "But Strys Forest was not given much importance. So I prepared for that the most." "Huh?"

"Look underneath the underneath. They won't give away information that easily. Normally, people would think that either the desert or frozen iceland would be a good choice. However, those were the most mentioned and contained the most information. So that means they won't hold it there. Therefore, I looked into Strys Forest in all the databases I found, even the illegal ones."

"How did you do that?" She asked in obvious surprise. "I hacked into them. I have a Knightmare of my own. I tried to install an AI into it, one that my mother had created. She was an expert programmer and designer. My Knightmare was also designed by my mother. That AI was able to hack into databases from around the world. And that's how I knew what was happening. The train which didn't stop. The forest and the snipers. That's why I was armed fully. My katana, knives, guns. I carried a few weapons of my own. Because I had a strong feeling that the test was in Strys Forest."

Her face shifted in realization. He then gave the balisong he had to Leila. "Keep it with you. Protect yourself with that if you need to."

She looked at the weapon carefully. It was purely black in colour and the blade and handle were both curved. "I modified it slightly so it's easier to open and close. You can just press the button on the side to open the latch and close it. And there are magnets in the handles to lock them together."

She thanked him with a hug and he pushed her away.

"Leila, I need to know. I can see obviously that you are not eating as much as is required. So now, I want to ask, what happened with your family? I can tell that it's not a problem with friends but it's your family. Tell me, what happened?"

She then told him everything, including her family and friends.

"I'll start with my friends. Well, friend. My only friend is Anna, Anna Clement." "Clement Factory?" "Yes. She is a nice girl and is nice to me. Very bright, mind and personality. And she worries about me more than myself. But, she needs to do something about her gossiping habit."

"Sounds like a good person. You don't seem to have any problems with her. Then your family?"

She grimaced and Hikaru sighed. 'So the problem _is_ family, after all.'

"My father and mother are fine. They are kind and were good people enough to take me in, practically a stranger. Then there are my 3 brothers. Daniel and Stephan are… alright, I guess. They are kind to me, but they do voice their displeasure with my activities, you know, my aikido and the military, particularly the Legion."

"Let me guess. They want you to quit all these activities and learn the arts befitting that of a proper woman, I'd say. Stereotypical."

"The last brother is Ioan. But he's also my fiance."

"Wait what?!" He did a double-take.

"The Malcal family wanted to marry into Britannian noble blood and so, they set me to marry Ioan. However, he doesn't want to marry me. The feeling is mutual. He is extremely rude and misbehaves with me, insulting me, sometimes in public. He also scared Anna, insulting her demeaningly. And he is-" Hikaru held out a hand, signalling her to stop.

"For the lack of a better term, he's an asshole." Hikaru summarised crudely as she sighed and nodded. "Well, I'll give you one little advice. You can ignore him. You can simply make him fear you, that balisong is also for that purpose. You can threaten him. You can blackmail him. You can hit him. You can leave the house. You can introduce me to him." "Introduce you to him? What good will that do?"

"Nothing. I'll just talk to him about how he should treat a lady, _properly_. And I'll talk to him about how he should treat my sister. That's all."

The dangerous glint in his eyes told her that he didn't intend to _just_ talk.

She nodded awkwardly as she said, "I will take some time and do that." She then thought back to the options presented by him.

"But if I leave the house, where will I… oh, I understand. You want me to come to you if I ever decide to do something drastic." "I'll support you in whatever decision you make. I always protect my family."

A small beeping sound alerted them and Hikaru sighed. "My phone is still working. But who even texts at this time?" He looked at the text. "Edith? Bring my Knightmare here? Already received permission?"

"Who is it?"

"My assistant, you could say. She said that she received permission to bring my Knightmare and a car here. There seems to be a part where we have to travel in cars and battle in Knightmares." He elaborated for her and then said, "Tomorrow, we will head out."

"Your wounds are-"

He silenced her. "No, Leila. We will head out tomorrow and head towards the tower. The faster we get closer, the better."

A few hours of discussing strategy later, they were lying on the bed, Hikaru laying down on the bed comfortably, hands behind his head as a pillow.

 **30 minutes later**

"Leila, you're not getting any sleep and you have been shifting very much. What happened? A bad dream?"

"I h-had a ni-nightmare." 'She's stuttering? What the hell was that nightmare about?'

"A-all of my loved ones were being killed and I couldn't do anything, except watch."

Shivers racked her whole body as she recounted the nightmare. "Y-you d-died while protecting m-me. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't. I was weak and you pai-"

A pair of strong arms wrapped around her in a comforting hug. He whispered comforting words in her ears as she started to cry, her sobs being heard clearly in the barely occupied tent. He rubbed circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her. "Don't worry about me, Leila. I will not die. I will not let anyone I love go through the pain of losing a loved one, and I will not be the cause of that. I will not die. That's a promise." He said, voice filled with determination.

A few minutes passed as they stayed, unmoving. A comfortable silence had fallen between the two. "Hikaru, promise me that you will not die."

"I promise, Leila. I will not die." Her shaking slowly stopped and he lied on the bed again. He felt the blonde cling to him and ruffled her hair as she slept peacefully.

 **The next day**

The young woman yawned as she woke up from her slumber. She blushed brightly at the position they were in. She was wearing a tank top and shorts, while he wore a T-shirt and pants. She was clinging onto him, hugging him tightly, her head resting on his chest. He had his arm wrapped around her waist protectively and was still sleeping, his breathing soft. She tried to move out of his grip and sighed. 'Well, I'll just sleep some more. It's been a long time since we slept like this.'

She went into her dreamland again, dreaming about a vacation with her friends and brother.

 **2 hours later**

Hikaru slid the knives back into his sleeves, his katana ready at his back. He looked at Leila, who was checking her gear. She nodded at him and he walked out of the tent, looking at the small barrier he had built. 'She must have noticed it by now.'

"Hikaru, why do we have more number of weapons? The number is higher than the one we had when we entered the island."

He sighed and then said, "I fended off a group of 3 and took their weapons."

 _ **Flashback**_

 _Hikaru walked through the forest, hefting the bags on his shoulder, the unconscious blonde in his arms. 'Leila's unconscious and I'm injured too. The timing couldn't be worse.'_

 _He shifted as he heard a group of voices talking together and stiffened._

 _The bushes covering the pair shifted to reveal 3 young men. "Hey, come here. We'll help you."_

 _ **10 minutes later**_

 _Hikaru accepted the glass of water and gulped it down immediately. "Thanks."_

" _Anyway, what happened to that girl?"_

" _She was knocked out when a grenade went off near us."_

 _One of them winced and then said, "Anyway, we can help you in treating her wounds."_

" _Alright." *Yawn* 'Huh? Why am I feeling so sleepy?'_

 _ **5 minutes later**_

 _Two pairs of arms wrapped around his arms, holding him still. His eyes opened slowly, still lidded sleep. His eyes immediately darted towards his sister, who was being held by the third. A growl arose from the blue haired teenager at the lecherous look on the man's face. "Oh! Awake already? No matter! We'll just kill you and have our way with her."_

 _Just as a hand strayed towards the blonde's face, two sharp snaps were heard, the sound of breaking bones being heard clearly. Two screams were heard not a moment later as the two men holding him fell to the ground, an arm broken and a leg damaged. A knife found it's way towards the straying hand and Hikaru kicked him in the gut, catching Leila at the same time._

" _Before I change my mind and kill you painfully, run away." He spat at them, glaring with rage in his eyes._

 _ **3 minutes later**_

 _Hikaru continued his hike, after checking the blonde for any new injuries. The bag weighed more than it had previously, a few more weapons finding their way into the bag._

 _ **Flashback End**_

"You saved me, right? Thanks, Hikaru."

"Anyway, let's go. I'd guess that all things considered, we'll take only 6 hours to reach the tower."

"Alright."

The two of them set out for the tower, the looming building towering over them.

 **3 hours later**

"A wall?"

"A fence, to be precise. And is that a road?"

Hikaru turned towards the gate next to the fence.

"Well, let's go inside."

As they entered the fence, closing the gate, they were called respectively by two different female voices. "Leila!" "Hikaru."

"Anna?!" "Edith." Hikaru nodded calmly, a far cry from Leila's reaction.

A violet haired girl with light green eyes was waving at Leila, while a brown haired woman with hazel eyes nodded at Hikaru. She had two keys in her hand, a Knightmare and a car.

"Hikaru, good to know that you are alive."

"What did you expect? Oh, let me introduce you to Leila."

He turned towards the blonde, only to find her being crushed in a hug by the teary eyed girl.

He stifled a laugh and then coughed, saying, "Miss Clement, I think my little sister would appreciate it if you didn't crush her in a hug, seeing as she wants to return the hug."

Anna Clement blushed and removed herself from Leila, apologizing about something.

She then turned to him, tilting her head while asking, "Um, who are you?"

"Oh, where are my manners?" He gave a slight bow. "Hikaru Alaina, Leila's brother, at your service."

Her face immediately scrunched up in displeasure. "You're another one of her rude brothers?!" "Wait, Anna! He's the person I talked to you about. When we were in the academy."

Her face changed to a look of realization and she calmed down. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright. So you're the Anna Clement that Leila has been talking so much about. A pleasure to meet you."

A small cough from Edith brought his attention to her. "Hikaru, I'm leaving. My brother is a bit ill and I need to look after him."

"Okay. Give Ethan my wishes." "Will do."

The woman then went towards a jet and then the jet flew, disappearing into the horizon. "Well, let's get into the car and go towards the tower." Hikaru said as he walked towards the car and groaned.

"Really? My dad's Mitsubishi and my mom's **Reaper** of all things?"

The two young women looked in the line of sight of Hikaru to find a Mitsubishi Eclipse, which looked heavily customised, along with an obviously scary looking Knightmare.

He entered the car and started the car, moving it towards Leila and Anna.

"Anna, I take it that you came here to support Leila?"

"Yes." "Well, then I need to pull some strings." He then revved up the car, the sound of the engine rumbling to life startling them.

"Hold on. And… seatbelts."

They took off, the Knightmare following after them. The two passengers almost screamed as he accelerated, the car going faster and faster.

He suddenly drifted, turning at a corner expertly. This time, Anna did scream, but in joy or fear, no one would know.

 **30 minutes later**

Two of them stepped out from the car, disoriented, while the third went to the Knightmare behind the car and then gave it a once over before nodding in satisfaction. 'Good. The Reaper's secondary operating function is working well.'

"Hikaru, next time, inform us before going into 'Pro-racer mode', please. I thought that I was going to die."

Hikaru placed a hand over his heart in mock hurt. "Oh, to think that my younger sister doesn't have enough faith in my skills! Today is a sad day. The heavens will weep for my sadness." He said in a dramatic way, making the two of them laugh.

"I had fun." "Anyway, we should register our IDs."

He walked to the desk at the door of the tower.

"Hikaru Alaina and Leila Malcal, reporting for Phase 4 of the test. Guest, Anna Clement."

The receptionist looked at him and started entering the data in the computer.

"Welcome. You're the first to reach the tower."

"Hmm, I think we should party for that after the test."

She then looked at his name and her eyes widened in surprise and shock.

"Hey, you, kid, are you related to Setsuna Alaina?"

"She's my mother. Why?"

"Nah. I just felt that you looked similar to her. I was her teammate back in this test when she took it. Top Candidate of Britannia. No one was able to beat her."

Hikaru smiled as he recalled the memories of his mother talking to him about her time in the Legion.

"Yeah, I know. She used to tell me about her time in the Legion. I think she said that your name was Rin."

"Yup, that's right. Anyway, are they members of your team?"

"Wait. The rules are that if one member of the team is dead or seriously injured, then the team is disqualified, right?"

"Unless the opponent argues against the disqualification."

"And the boarding?"

"They get the same room. Naturally, the guest also is in the same room. However, since your team was the top candidates' team, you get a better room. You could say it's like a luxury hotel. And you could cash in a favour I owed your mother. She saved my life during this stupid shit."

"Well, we'll take it then. Thanks, Miss Rin."

"Oh, and your car and Knightmare will be in the hangar attached to your room. That's the favour I owe."

"Thanks!"

 **15 minutes later**

"Woah!" "It's just like back at Paris!"

"Reminds me of home."

These were the reactions of Anna, Leila and Hikaru as they looked at the room. He noted one problem though.

"There are two beds and three people." Anna noted.

"You two take the beds, I'll take the couch." Hikaru said, dropping his bags near one corner of the room and occupied his space on the couch and quickly went to sleep, sprawled out on the couch.

"I will sleep a little too, Anna. Sleeping on a soft bed is much much better than sleeping on a makeshift bed." Leila said, immediately falling asleep.

 **1 hour later**

Hikaru woke up, yawning and stretching his arms. He went to the small kitchen, almost colliding with Anna.

"Sorry. Didn't see where I was going."

"No, it's alright."

"Were you about to cook something?"

"Um… I don't know how to cook."

Hikaru laughed slightly and then said, "I'll cook something for you." He offered and then whipped up delicious looking noodles along with a cup of hot chocolate for each of them.

"Could you wake up Leila? It's better if she eats it fresh."

 **30 minutes later**

"Seriously, how did you learn to cook that deliciously?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that I'm multi-talented?" He asked sarcastically?

"Yes." The blonde deadpanned.

"Let's list out your skills." Anna followed along as Leila started.

"Pro-racing, Knightmare ace pilot, Knightmare and weapons designer, master hacker, interrogation specialist, martial arts master, weapons specialist, master at bladed weapons, stealth specialist, fighting, on the spot thinking, good tactics, strategic mind, good leadership skills, general knowledge, improvisation skills, fast reflexes, top physical condition."

Hikaru grumbled something about "Blonde observing too much…", making his two companions laugh as Anna piped in. "Good cooking skills, negotiations, good arrangement skills and self-sacrificing personality." "... along with violet haired girls."

"Anyway, let's go and check on our Knightmares."

" _Your_ Knightmare." Leila corrected.

" _Our_ Knightmare. My Knightmare features a two-seater cockpit."

"Oh! I see."

They entered the hangar, going straight towards the Knightmare.

"It looks scary." Anna said, whimpering slightly.

"Wait till you see it in action."

"What is its name?"

"That is or rather _was_ my mother's designed Knightmare. It's full designation is **S-01 Reaper** , it was designed by my own mother. I used my family's money to get it manufactured. And I'm using it now."

"Wait. If only you are piloting it, then why is it a-"

"I piloted it alone, and that produces large amount of stress, both physically and mentally. That is why I am this strong. I trained myself to overcome the limitations of the Reaper but I'm still not strong enough. That's why, Leila, I want you to be my co-pilot. Will you-"

"Of course I'll do it! My brother is asking me after all!"

She held his hands, shaking them.

"Thanks, Leila."

Anna suddenly interrupted them, spinning a pen between her fingers expertly.

"Let me check the Knightmare."

"I'm trusting you, Anna."

Anna nodded excitedly as Hikaru walked towards the Reaper, while Anna and Leila looked at the Knightmare.

The Reaper was almost black, it's whole body appearing almost horse-like. It's four legs and two arms were pure black and flexible in movement. The face was the scariest part, its face covered by a mask of sorts, its red eyes visible through it. The mask was the only white part of the Knightmare, apart from the white tribal markings on the body and the weapon. The mask was shaped like a hanya mask, shaped like a demon. It had horns on its head and the mouth had sharp fangs, which opened to give way to a flamethrower. It looked like a devil with the scythe on the back. The gigantic scythe had a white handle with a black blade, along with markings of black flames on the handle. There were two slots on the arms for guns and the legs had claws which were currently retracted. There were two small scythes also located in the front legs, while the hind legs were fixed with non-retractable blades along the length of the limbs. There were also blades along the front legs and the two arms. The blade of the main scythe was serrated on the blunt edge, making both edges dangerous and sharp. The cockpit was situated on the back, making it such that a hood partially covered the face, making a shadow fall on it. The interior of the cockpit was advanced, the main part being the two seater cockpit. It also had more number of screens, along with different controls for the weapons.

"The devil look is present, that's for sure." Leila commented.

Anna climbed onto the Reaper with the help of Hikaru. He pulled a little too strong, resulting in her falling into his arms, making her blush a bright red.

"S-sorry." She went into the cockpit while Hikaru guided her on the different functions of the Reaper.

 **1 hour later**

Anna smiled at Hikaru as she gave her conclusion. "No problems with the Reaper. And the glide panels are also operational."

"Whew. Thanks, Anna."

"It's alright."

They stepped down from the Knightmare, well, Anna stepped down while he jumped down from the Knightmare, landing perfectly.

"Acrobatics." Leila commented, adding it to the list of skills.

"Anyone have any ideas? Because my plan is to just watch some TV and sleep."

"Same."

 **The next day**

Hikaru woke up on the bed, looking over to the other bed to find Leila and Anna snuggled together. He chuckled slightly and then went to the training gym, going through the set routine he had created.

 **2 hours later**

"Hikaru, are you here?"

Leila rubbed her eyes, yawning as she stretched her arms.

The said young man stepped out of the shower, now dressed in a black T-shirt and pants.

"Yeah. I'm ordering room service."

"Alright."

"After everything, we will practise in the simulators and the gym. No breaks."

Leila whined slightly before submitting. Hikaru walked past her, ruffling her hair.

"Don't be like that, my cute younger sister."

 **8 hours later**

"Leila, you did good today. Get some sleep today. The deadline is tomorrow. We won't be training tomorrow."

"Alright!" Her two companions chuckled at her reaction.

Sleep overtook them by night.

 **2 days later**

The candidates stood in two files, some refreshed and a few still looking tired.

Hikaru and Leila fell in the first category. Hikaru noticed that his previous group were in the latter category.

They looked at the people before them.

'The Britannian Emperor and his Knights of the Round, along with Odysseus and Schneizel. And General Gene Smilas of the EU.'

One of them stepped forward and said, "Cadets! You are the ones who have survived the dangers till now. However, be prepared! This is the Legion! The best of the best! The ones who are here are the top of the world! The strongest soldiers your country has to offer. Now is the ultimate test! Fight against those who stand amongst you! Those who win are the strong and those who lose are the weak. The Legion needs only the strongest! Be the strongest! Fight! Win!"

Most of them erupted into cheers while Hikaru growled, his hands tightened into fists and Leila was glaring at them.

 **2 hours later**

'Leila Malcal and Hikaru Alaina vs Damian Hart, Jack Hunt, Daniel Collins and Zeo Abyss'

Hikaru calmly walked forward, followed by Leila, facing his opponents, their opponents not knowing their future.

"Begin!"

Hikaru stood in his place and slid into his stance, Leila doing the same, while their opponents rushed them.

He fluidly blocked and redirected each and every strike aimed at him, not breaking a sweat. This continued for a few minutes. His tempo suddenly became disrupted as he heard a pained gasp from Leila and immediately turned to her direction. She was clutching at a wound in her arm, one of his opponents holding a knife.

He rushed towards her, unsheathing his katana all the while. He slid a distance away with Leila in his arms.

"Don't move! The knife is poisoned." He took his katana and cut her arm, making the blood flow out and then quickly bandaged her wound with a makeshift bandage.

He turned towards his future victims, his eyes belying the anger he felt. "You scum are… DEAD!"

He ran towards the quartet, dragging his sword across the floor. Small sparks started to form from the friction.

"Leila, move back! Now!" He barked at her, the oil on the floor slowing down his movements. 'Damn it! This oil is slowing down my movements. But I should've expected this, it's the Legion after all.'

The oil on the floor slowly started to collect onto his blade and he suddenly increased his speed, the oil catching fire. The floor started to burn in flames while the black blade was surrounded by flames.

In the few moments that the fire had covered them from sight, all four of them were slaughtered brutally, their screams still echoing in their ears.

The survivor jumped over the flames, landing next to his sister.

"Are you alright, Leila?"

"It hurts, but I'm alright."

"Good."

He pressed a button on the Reaper's activation key, a rumbling sound being heard from the tower's top. The Reaper burst out suddenly, looking every bit like the Bringer of Death.

"Our next opponents, get into your Knightmares. I don't have time to waste with you."

"What are you saying, Hikaru?!"

"The last contestants are us and a group of 15. And they are a team. So it's us vs them."

 **15 minutes later**

As the flames were starting to die down, Hikaru activated the Reaper, the eyes glowing to life as the cockpit closed over itself, the Reaper's hood covering its face. It held the scythe in its arms, while the machine guns and bladed weapons soon came into view. The Reaper's mouth also opened to reveal the flamethrower. A few embers of the audience whimpered in fear at the Reaper while Anna looked at it in awe.

Slowly, the Reaper started to rise a few inches above the ground, hovering above the oily floor. Hikaru smirked as he faced the group of 15 Sutherlands and almost laughed hysterically.

"Younger sister, get ready."

"Begin the battle!"

The group of Sutherlands rushed towards the Reaper. Hikaru smirked at their action and then grabbed a hold of the controls, the Reaper moving according to his whims. The Reaper spun the scythe in its hands before slashing at the first Knightmare in range. The whole Knightmare, cockpit included, was bisected and exploded. The Reaper suddenly froze and Hikaru grunted as the Knightmare was hit by the Stun Tonfa of a Knightmare.

"Leila! Don't freeze up! We die if either one of us makes a mistake!" He shouted harshly at her, maneuvering the Knightmare away from them and towards the wall.

A Slash Harken was launched and speared the wall, holding it in place as the Reaper fired a second one at the Sutherlands following them.

The big scythe was suddenly launched forwards, slicing up the Knightmares and got itself stuck in the opposite wall.

" _Let's go. It's unarmed."_

Hikaru laughed at his opponent's remark and the Reaper launched forwards, the Slash Harken still lodged in the wall. Another third Slash Harken lodged itself next to the scythe, followed by another. The black Knightmare suddenly accelerated towards the scythe, grabbing the weapon.

Harken 1 suddenly dislodged itself and the sharp cable cut through a Knightmare.

The four legged Knightmare ran towards the remaining group of Sutherlands, hefting its scythe while its pilots activated the machine-guns in its arms. _"Unarmed, you say? I can't see my Reaper empty-handed, that's for sure."_

His voice brought them to their senses as the Bringer of Death jumped up, hanging by the Slash Harkens in the air.

It rained death on the machines, missiles firing repeatedly and the bullets raining down like hailstones. A blue barrier formed around the machine as a few shots were fired at it by the Sutherlands. 'The Blaze Luminous is good. And the Glide Panels are working too. Anna outdid herself.'

It descended on them, its mouth open and the flamethrower ready to fire.

" _Will you guys surrender or should I burn you alive?"_ Hikaru asked rhetorically.

He sighed as he received their answer. 'Idiots will stay idiots and die idiots.'

The oil suddenly caught fire as the Reaper attacked, the flamethrower at full power. The Bringer of Death dashed forward, systematically cutting up the Knightmares, leaving the cockpits to be burned by the fire surrounding them.

The screams of their opponents rang in their ears, unnerving them until they died out from the lack of air and the heat.

A gust of wind passed through them as the Reaper swung its scythe, the flames instantly put out by the strong wind. The Reaper stood in the middle of everything, the burning wreckage starting to cool down from the strong gusts of wind as the scythe was being spun repeatedly.

The cockpit opened and the two pilots jumped out, visibly calm.

"Winners, Hikaru Alaina and Leila Malcal." The announcer announced **(pun intended)** , visibly shaking at the form of the Reaper.

"I believe that ours was the last match."

"Y-yes." His demeanor changed as he tried to look serious.

"Now, all the finalists have been decided. On the vote of the candidates, a final deciding battle may be held. In that, the top candidates, standing beside me, will be facing the rest, in a duel of Knightmares. Now then, let's vote. Those who want to battle, raise your hands."

Hikaru smirked with each word as no hands were raised.

"Then… Dismissed!"

 **1 hour later**

The three of them laughed as they recollected the last question.

"Looks like they were scared of the Reaper." Hikaru stated the obvious.

"Anyway, what are we going to do now?"

"In one day, we'll be on our way. Leila, you're joining the military and Anna's coming along with you, right?"

"Yes."

"Hmm… then I hope that the next time we meet will be as allies, instead of enemies."

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Hikaru intends to join the Britannian Military, Anna. Britannia and EU are enemies right now. That's what he meant." Leila elaborated, looking a bit sad.

"Hey, why are you looking so sad? Don't worry. I'm sure that we will be allies the next time we meet." Hikaru said with conviction.

"Yeah." The two of them said with a slight smile on their faces, though Anna seemed to be teary-eyed.

 **1 month later**

"Brigadier General Hikaru Alaina, reporting for duty."

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Finally, Chapter 11 completed. This chapter, as I said, contained everything I talked about. The next chapter will be Hikaru in the MEF, also the chapter where it shows how he got the name The Black Dragon.**

 **Also about the test, if people have guessed, the part of the test is taken from the Chunin Exams in Naruto. I liked the part about the Forest of Death. I changed it slightly to make it that a few members of the military were out to get them.**

 **Hope you liked this chapter.**

 **Read and Review…**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello readers. This is Hikaru, back with Chapter 12 'Birth of the Black Dragon'. This chapter will mainly focus on Hikaru's military career and the birth of his title. The chapter will have action mostly. Main location is the Middle Eastern Federation(MEF). Here, we will also see Milly's appearance and a small dialogue between Hikaru and Lelouch and Nunnally. That's all, I guess.**

 **Uploading on March 1st. It's a gift from me to myself.**

 **Chapter 12**

 **Birth of the Black Dragon**

 **Britannian Army Command Headquarters, MEF**

"Brigadier General Hikaru Alaina, reporting for duty."

"At ease." He looked at the purple haired woman before him and then said, "Chief General, I would like permission to use my personal Knightmare instead of the standard Sutherland or Gloucester." He stated bluntly and waited for her answer.

"I want proof of your skill. Only then will you be granted permission."

"Yes, your highness."

Hikaru then followed the Chief General's Knight and adjutant.

"Where were you posted previously, BGen Alaina?"

"Today is officially my first day, Gen Darlton."

"What?!" "They gave you the rank of BGen on the first day you enlisted?!"

Hikaru groaned internally as he became the center of attention. 'Damn you! My luck is too bad!'

"I'll prove my skill and show you the reason why I was given my rank. Now, I believe we have a briefing."

He quickened his pace and soon found himself in the CIC.

He took his seat and looked through the files quickly, appearing as if he was just counting the pages slowly.

"Now that all personnel are here, I will now begin this meeting."

As Cornelia started on her part of the meeting, stating about their plan to take the fort.

"Chief General, if I may." He interrupted. "I would like to state my opinions about the plan."

"Go ahead, BGen Alaina."

"Thank you, Chief General. Right now, the taking of Fort Al Hamiz is not only difficult but strategically damaging to our forces."

"Care to elaborate, new guy?" Guilford asked.

"Of course. Al Hamiz is an extremely fortified structure, made of solid rock. The sand dune will render our Knightmares and vehicles immobile. The fort, from the reports I've read through-" "You didn't read any reports. You flipped through them!" A LtCol interrupted. "-the fort is defended by turrets and cannons. Repetitive hits by the turrets will damage our machines. Possibly kill the pilot too. Our immobile Knightmares and vehicles will be destroyed easily, no exceptions. And we cannot afford those losses. Also, the **Bamide** Knightmares which the MEF possesses, have thicker armor and higher firepower than the average Sutherland. It's certainly more destructive than a Sutherland piloted by a rookie pilot. Our forces will be decimated. And the commander of the fort, Iqbal Hasan, is a decorated war-hero. He will be able to rally his forces without fail against us."

"What is your conclusion?"

"The bottomline, any attack on the fort, strategically speaking, is a loss for us. And this would be the equivalent of us being called weak, which is unacceptable. Britannia is the empire of the strong and such an operation would only result in the people doubting our strength. And that is unacceptable."

A minute later, Cornelia spoke, "Then, BGen Alaina, hypothetically speaking, if you were given charge of our forces, what would you do?"

"If it were upto me, then I would lead a small unit of elite pilots and start taking the cities of the MEF."

"That would be strategically useless."

"Taking the cities would provide them more incentive to retake the cities and that would lead to them splitting their forces. That means, less forces at the fort. And the less forces we face, the better. Also, it will have a great psychological effect. When we lay waste to their forces without facing any losses, which is another way of saying, solo, they will experience fear. That is the biggest gain for our army."

 **2 days later**

"I still think it odd that he is given command of this operation, Princess."

"Yes, Princess. He is still young and inexperienced."

Hikaru meanwhile entered his Knightmare Frame, stretching a bit. 'After Anna customised it, the Reaper can be piloted by both one and two people.'

He started up the Knightmare, breathing in slightly.

"Guilford, Darlton, did you watch the tapes of the Legion final phase?"

"The battles in the tower? Yes."

"Did you not recognize the top candidate?"

"Wait, top candidate?!"

"Yes. Brigadier General Hikaru Alaina is the top candidate of the Legion. And the Reaper is his personal Knightmare. He is going to use that Knightmare."  
"That monster?"

"Surely, they will be scared of the Knightmare."

Hikaru then counted from 100 as he booted up the Knightmare.

" _Brigadier General Hikaru Alaina, your current mission is the taking of the capital city of Jordan. You may use whatever methods you feel you need."_

"Yes, your highness."

He continued his counting. '10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0'

"S-01 Reaper, launch."

The four legged Knightmare dashed out of the G-1, the Landspinners not active as the Glide Panels worked their magic.

Sand burst up from the speed as the black Knightmare moved towards the city. Its scythe touched the sand, carving a path through the sand dunes.

"Hmm… it will take about 30 minutes to get to the city. Looks like I will be riding into heavy fire."

He accelerated the Knightmare and dashed towards the city, which was surrounded by high walls. There were Bamides posted along the walls, the lines of Knightmares pointing their cannons in the forward direction towards him. The turrets in the walls soon activated, their barrels starting to fire at the approaching Bringer of Death.

A blue shield appeared around the Reaper, blocking the bullets.

The Reaper dashed forward, hefting its scythe. It swung at the Bamides with its scythe. 'Ha, the scythe contains a blade that has electric currents running through it. This will increase its cutting power. And I need to thank Anna for this.'

 **Jordan**

The scythe cut through the Bamides cleanly. The modified Knightmares were left in pieces in his wake, only leaving useless scraps. Hikaru laughed maniacally and suddenly fired a Slash Harken into the wall. He catapulted using the cable and fired a grenade with the grenade launcher in the scythe. The Knightmares started dropping like flies while the turrets were destroyed one after another by the grenades.

He then ran along the walls with the use of the Slash Harkens and started slicing the turrets and Bamides into pieces.

"Rest in pieces, fools."

 **30 minutes later**

The personnel on the G-1 gaped in shock at the visual.

"That guy… he's going through them like a hot knife through butter." One of them gasped.

" _Chief General, this is BGen Alaina. The hostile forces outside the walls have been disposed off. Proceeding inside the walls."_

"Right. Do as you are commanded."

" _Yes, your highness."_

The Reaper jumped over the walls, falling to the floor in a great explosion of dust and noise.

The Reaper's silhouette struck fear in the hearts of the people as the scythe blew away the dust.

" _Yo, I will say one thing. Surrender or be judged by my scythe."_

He smirked and then charged, the Bringer of Death descending upon them, its scythe poised and thirsty for blood, the pilot's hysterical and bloodthirsty laugh unnerving them even further.

 **The next day**

 **Paris**

"Hey, look. The capital city of Jordan was captured it seems!"

Anna perked up at that piece of information as her classmates gossiped about the news.

"Look, there is information on the Britannian unit which did it."

A black Knightmare was visible on the screen, its scythe pointed at a few men in uniform. The cockpit was open and a young man was standing in the cockpit, a katana in his hand.

"Look. There is a report of him."

" _As per reports from the locals and the need agencies, the attacker was only one person. The witnesses say that he appeared suddenly. However, not one civilian was hurt by him, only the soldiers. The soldiers, in their Bamides and turrets were overwhelmed by sheer force. The opposing Knightmare was only one in number and broke through the defenses effortlessly."_

"That Knightmare looks scary."

"But look at that guy. He looks handsome."

"If only he wasn't a Britannian."

"But are the reports true? He could have had support."

"No. He did it solo." Leila have her input. "How do you know?"

"That person is the top candidate of the Legion. He was my teammate during the test. He is the pilot of the Knightmare which cut through 15 Sutherlands with ease."

She then went back to reading her book. 'He is just like a dragon, kind to the innocent civilians and merciless against the soldiers, his enemies. The Black Dragon, huh?'

"Looks like he liked the modifications I made to the Reaper." Anna commented.

"Hey, look. There's a video on the net about the attack. Here."

However, everything came to a stop as two people entered the room.

"Why is General Smilas here with Teacher Ray?" and "Isn't that General Smilas?" were some of the comments through the class.

"Take your seats, everyone."

Smilas then stood beside the screen on the wall and a video started playing on it.

"That is-"

"Quiet."

On the screen, the Reaper was hovering over the sand, bursts of sand obscuring parts of its body. The Bamides and turrets were also firing at it, only to be blocked by a blue energy shield. It showed the events of the previous day as the Reaper sliced through the Knightmares and turrets like a knife through air, with no resistance. Then the Reaper jumped over the walls where the feed changed to the interior of the city.

A huge explosion of dust obscured its form as the pilot spoke, _"I'll say one thing. You can surrender or be judged by my scythe."_

Then it was pure carnage as pieces of metal and bullets flew here and there, the Reaper not getting a single scratch on it. The scythe cut through the Knightmares and tanks, going through one after another.

The civilians could watch, frozen in fear as the Reaper demolished the army. As the Reaper turned towards a crowd of civilians, the same voice spoke, _"Those who are civilians, I will not harm you. However, do not interrupt my mission. The only thing you have to do is simply surrender and then you will be left alone. Those who cooperate will be treated as international civilian prisoners. Those who resist actively against me and interfere with my mission will be faced with the penalty of death. Think carefully before you decide."_

The clip then changed to a video of the Reaper demolishing a coilgun and the leaders of the army surrendering as the scythe was pointed at them.

The clip ended and the screen then showed a photo of Hikaru with his Knightmare alongside him.

"This man is the pilot of the Knightmare in the clip. His name is Hikaru Alaina, a Brigadier General in the army of Britannia. According to our spies, he is extremely skilled in Knightmare combat and close combat techniques as well. Based on reports, he has been deemed extremely dangerous by the authorities. He has entered the EU's Blacklist and his rank is S+, one of the first to have this rank. And the note: Flee on sight. Do not try to fight him or even provoke him. Flee on sight. If you have any information about him, step forward."

"Sir, Leila Malcal seems to have information on him!"

The said girl almost gasped but soon regained her calm. 'What should I do?'

"Leila Malcal, step forward."

"Sir." The blonde then spoke a few words.

"His name is Hikaru Alaina, the Knightmare's name is Reaper. The only weapons I have seen him use in the Knightmare are the scythe and the Slash Harkens. And the only techniques I have seen him use in hand-to-hand are his expertise in bladed weapons and guns too. And… he is the top candidate in the Legion." She told the half-truth.

"Good. If you recall anything, inform us about it."

"Yes sir!"

 **Britannian Command HQ, MEF**

"BGen Alaina, you have been promoted to Major General for your actions in securing the major cities of Jordan and the elimination of the forces of the MEF."

Hikaru stood up with a small smirk and then schooled his features, accepting the emblem given to him.

"Continue your streak and fulfill your duty to the empire."

"Yes, your highness."

 **2 hours later**

"MajGen Alaina, we need to talk."

He sighed before following Guilford and Darlton to the G-1's hangar.

"Yes, Lord Guilford?"

"Congratulations on your promotion."

"Thank you. However, I would like to know the real reason why you have called me here, seeing as you locked the doors after I entered the hangar, preventing us from leaving and you purposely chose a hangar which is not only far away from the CIC but also isolated and currently empty."

"Good deduction."

"Because… if you plan to hurt me, just remember the fair warning I am giving, I know how to torture someone so much that they beg for death, without batting an eye. And I know how to hide my tracks and also frame someone. Just giving you a fair warning."

He suddenly took a knife and threw it past Guilford, the knife barely missing the bespectacled man's head.

"You-"

"Oi, whoever is there, come out. I don't plan on throwing anymore knives, I need you alive."

He then fired with his gun three shots, all at the same location. A pained scream broke through the air before a man in uniform fell out. He was wearing a Britannian soldier's uniform. "However, you are not a soldier. Not Britannian. I'd guess that you are a spy from the MEF."

 **20 minutes later**

"Nothing, your highness. He doesn't talk."

Hikaru then laughed as he looked at your interrogator. "You bastard! Why are you laughing?!"

"You call that interrogation? Chief General, can I do the interrogation, using whatever method I require, without any care about human rights?"

"Permission granted. However, if you don't get me any useful information, you will be demoted to LtCol. Is that clear?"

"I can get the information I want."

He walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

He took out a gun and then pointed it at the kneecap of the spy.

"Hey, look. We'll just talk about this. You spill everything and I will not hurt you. Can you do that?"

"Die, you Britannian bastard!"

*Sigh* "Should have expected that."

*BANG* "Arghhhh!"

"I will shoot your other kneecap and then your joints too. Just tell me what I want."

 **30 minutes later**

Hikaru exited the room, calmly wiping off the blood on his hands.

"The information has been gathered, your highness. If that is all, then I will take my leave and check on my Knightmare."

He left the room, a smirk on his face, spinning a knife between his fingers.

"Someone… clear the room." Cornelia ordered as she left the room, followed by Guilford and Darlton.

"Y-yes, your highness."

 **2 days later**

"MajGen Alaina, your current mission is the elimination of the border forces of the MEF. Lord Guilford and Gen Darlton's forces will assist you. You are permitted to use lethal force to subdue non-combatants if any. Launch in 60 seconds."

Remarks of "Yes, your highness!" were heard through the speakers while Hikaru just nodded.

He started the Reaper and placed the scythe on the back, now toting the shotgun built specifically for it.

"Okay, let's do it."

The Reaper launched out of the G-1, straight into the air as the Reaper fired its Slash Harkens into the ground.

'Hmm… Looks like I am becoming famous in the EU, if what Anna and Leila said is true. And the shotgun seems to be more functional and the Glide Panels are just useless when compared to the mobility given by the four legs. So the Glide Panels are out. Now, the only thing the Reaper needs is flight capability. Hmm… I think that Schneizel was talking to me about upgrading the Reaper. I'll have to look into that.'

It fell heavily onto the ground and he accelerated the machine. The four legs of the Reaper got to work as the sand around the Reaper burst up.

" _MajGen Alaina, by the order of her highness, you are to match pace with us and be the front unit, along with myself."_

" _Understood, Lord Guilford."_ He growled as he shut the comms off, slowing down.

As the unit of Knightmares proceeded towards their destination, the lead Knightmare slowed down, stopping totally after a few seconds. The machines following it followed its movements and stopped, tense and ready to fight.

" _All units, engage Formation Delta Circle."_

On his command, the Knightmares moved, arranging themselves in the formation of a triangle with two circles, inside and outside, joined by a common Knightmare at three points. **(A/N: A triangle with both the circumcircle and incircle drawn.)**

" _Prepare long range weapons for combat. Melee weapons to be stored away. Keep guns and Chaos Mines at the ready."_

" _What is happening, MajGen Alaina?"_

" _This, Lord Guilford, is the formation to prevent an ambush. My Knightmare is picking up something and I can see it too. Something large is coming. And it's better to fight it long range."_ Hikaru then switched to the private channel. _"Lord Guilford, I want you to support me. With our skills, we can take it down without many losses."_

" _Understood. You have my full support."_

" _Good. Now then… all forces, at my signal, you will fire long range missiles and grenades to_ my _12 o'clock. Point A through Point D, first salvo. Point B through E, second. Point c through F, third salvo. Then the Reaper will charge the enemy and provide shielding for the remaining units. On Lord Guilford's command, charge in and attack the enemy. Save the melee weapons for now and use long range guns and cannons. Understood?"_

" _Roger!"_

He then activated the Reaper's sniper shotgun and the grenade launcher.

'Okay, let's see what it is.'

A big shadow started to appear on the sand before them as the Knightmare pilots gulped.

'Oh shit!'

" _Lord Guilford, send a message to the G-1 to retreat to safety. And tell the people to prepare the cavalry and send us some elite pilots for support. We cannot defeat this piece of metal unscathed."_

The said piece of metal fired a shot at the Reaper, the cannonball being blocked the Reaper's shield and scythe. However, the black Knightmare moved back from the force.

'That is the **Hydra** that the spy talked about yesterday. We're screwed. That thing is hard to beat.' The Hydra was a giant battle tank. It had two cannons in the front styled like heads. There were also multiple gatling cannons and multiple cannons on its sides.

The Reaper zoomed in on the Hydra. 'I can also spot multiple mini-gatling cannons and some coilguns too. Damn!'

" _All forces, prepare for combat! Do not give in! Show these fools who disobey our empire the might of the Holy Empire of Britannia! ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"_

" _ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"_ The chorus sounded as all Knightmares fired at the Hydra with their long-range weapons. The explosions sounded throughout the desert as the shells impacted, exploding against the tank. As the dust cleared. The second salvo was about to be fired.

" _Stop!"_ The Hydra was not damaged in the least, apart from a few scratches here and there.

" _What is that monster?!"_

" _Lord Guilford, I need you to organise the forces. They will focus on me due to my previous actions in the taking of the cities. So, organise our forces according to this plan."_

The bespectacled Knight received a file depicting the formations. _"Understood."_

" _Alright. I will try and stall the thing until you are able to get the formation. If I go for broke, I think I can damage it a little, to make a weak spot. Then, you will fire at that spot."_

" _Roger!"_

The Reaper dashed forward, hefting its gun. The shotgun's barrel was aimed at the gatling guns. The black Knightmare fired successive shots against the barrels, damaging them slightly. 'Not enough, huh?'

A slight push of a lever and another pull of a trigger caused one of the barrels to be blown off. 'Hmm… 47% will do if I aim at the centre. The blast will be big enough to destroy the barrels and damage them enough to misfire on the Hydra itself. Good thing the shotgun fires bullets coated with energy.'

 **20 minutes later**

Another explosion occurred as the Reaper dodged another cannonball. 'Seriously, how thick is this thing? The Reaper is damaged and this is not going down at all.'

The Reaper continuously fired a few more shots, taking down the gatling guns and then threw its mini-scythe at the coilguns, using the Slash Harkens to bring them back. 'Yup. Magnetic homing is definitely a good idea.'

He grunted as the Reaper was hit with a bullet from a coilgun. A few moments later, the coilgun lay destroyed.

'This is getting nowhere. Looks like I have to exhaust the ammo of the shotgun.'

A short explosion of sand after, the Reaper now sported a modified gun, the barrel of the gun now attached to the arm of the Reaper. 'More weight, less recoil. So, better aim.'

He fired at the gatling gun and then the Reaper's grenade launcher was fired, the grande propelled towards the gatling guns. This continued for some time until the mini-gatling guns and the coilguns were destroyed. 'Okay. Now, if those guys damaged the cannons at least, then we can get out of this pinch.'

He jumped onto the Hydra and then towards his unit, defending them by firing the grenade launcher and shotgun at the main cannons, which were, thankfully, damaged a little. _"Good work in getting the forces organised. What are the losses?"_

" _We lost 4 frames, but the pilots are safe."_ 'Can't say for how long though.'

" _Well, we know one thing. This thing can't do ultra-long range. If it did, we'd be screwed. How about the support?"_

" _They are coming. 23 minutes."_

" _Okay. Now, after my signal, fire at the cannons. Do not stop even for one moment. Do it in continuous salvos."_

He then sped off, the four legged Knightmare going towards the big tank. It fired at the two heads of the Hydra, repeating its attack. Many more shots followed as the Hydra tried to fire another shot.

" _I won't let you!"_ Many missiles suddenly hit the two cannons, making the shots explode on themselves. He then continued firing the grenades at the cannons while the remaining forces threw Chaos Mines at the cannons. The Reaper jumped over the Hydra in an impressive show of strength, landing behind it.

Consecutive explosions rang out as the bombs on the Hydra exploded, damaging the hull.

" _Alaina, fire from behind. We will take care of the cannons."_

" _Thanks!"_

He pushed the button, only to hear a *click* sound. "Damn it! I have no ammo!"

He then docked the two weapons at the back of the Reaper and then took the scythe.

Suddenly, multiple Bamides appeared from the Hydra. "Shit!"

" _Guilford! This is Alaina! Be careful! There are Bamides in this thing! Take them out from a distance! Aim for the cannons!"_

He threw the scythe while jumping, the enhanced scythe cutting through a few Knightmares. He kicked a few of them with the legs, the blades cutting into the cannons. He then cut them up with the mini-scythe in the legs. This dance of death continued for a few minutes as the Reaper continued laying waste to them, destroying the Bamides without any trace. 'I didn't expect the Hydra to be this sturdy! I need to call in a few favors after this!'

He then hefted the scythe. _"Guilford, get me a few forces here. I need some time! Immediately!"_

Five Knightmares appeared before him a few moments later, hefting the Jousting Lance. He then changed the settings. 'I need to direct the power to the scythe. Increase the electrical output and also change the power direction from the machine guns and the scythes to generate the electrical current for the scythe.'

His hands moved at high speeds as he quickly typed many commands onto the Reaper.

He then shouted, _"Move out of the way! Immediately!"_

As the five Gloucesters moved out of the way, he threw the scythe, spinning it. Electrical currents danced across the blade as it spun, the speed generating strong winds around it.

It hit the tank's armor, meeting some resistance. Suddenly, the armor cracked, breaking into pieces as the scythe cut into the tank. Hikaru shouted in success before moving forward into the tank. THe scythe returned to its place as the mouth of the Reaper opened, spewing flames.

Screams were heard as the flames burned everything, metal and man included.

 **2 weeks later**

"Hello, Milly."

A blonde girl with blue eyes waved at him from the screen.

"Before you ask, I'm alright."

" _You don't look like that, especially with that bandage around your forehead."_ A snarky voice said.

"Lelouch. What are you doing here? If someone is-"

" _Tapping into your phone is next to impossible. All of us know that. And the reason is because Nunnally wanted to talk to you, so I came with her."_

" _Hikaru-san, how are you?"_

A small smile creeped onto his face as he looked at the brunette. However, the smile also reflected sadness and anger. "I am fine, Nunnally. I am under Cornelia's command. And I got a promotion too."

" _Well, looks like you are building a reputation, Black Dragon."_

"What?! Black Dragon? Seriously?! And my Knightmare is a Reaper, so why couldn't I be something like the Reaper or something?!" He talked loudly with himself.

Nunnally laughed lightly as she spoke. _"I think it suits you, Hikaru-san. Kindness to the innocent and anger to those who hurt the innocent. It sounds like a dragon. I think it is appropriate."_

Hikaru sighed and then said, "Well, I can't do anything to change it. Guess I have to accept it. At least you are not making fun of it, unlike a certain Ashford who I know is planning to."

As the said Ashford blushed at being caught, Hikaru laughed along with the exiled prince and princess. "Anyway, lelouch, is everything good there? Because I can ask for my next posting to be given to Japan if I want to."

" _It's alright, Hikaru."_

" _Hikaru-san, everything's fine. Don't inconvenience yourself."_

"Nothing is an inconvenience when it comes to family." He then shifted as someone knocked on his door.

"Alaina, Princess Cornelia is asking for you."

"Alright." He then turned to the screen. "Okay. I'll call you later, Milly, Lelouch, Nunnally. Bye."

He then took his coat and walked out of his room, ready for another long briefing.

'I could see it. Lelouch is lying. I need to talk to Milly about it.'

 **1 month later**

 **Paris**

"Leila, there's another report about Hikaru."

"Another? The last one was just yesterday."

The report showed the same scene as last, the Reaper laying waste to the MEF's forces.

"I sent an upgrade to him for the Reaper, a few new weapons."

"That's good to hear. I don't think he'd be safe if it weren't for you."

General Smilas came in again, holding another disc.

'This has become a routine. Now, we are learning more and more about Hikaru and his military achievements.'

"Our advanced machine, Hydra, has been destroyed mainly due to him. He was able to formulate a plan and execute it effectively."

That alone brought many gasps from the students. The clip showed the Reaper taking down the Hydra from all directions.

"This is the 3rd Hydra machine he has destroyed. As of yesterday, his ranking has been increased to S++. There is a new mission for all of you. Find all the information you can about him. And about his Knightmare if you can. Dismissed."

Leila looked conflicted as she joined Anna at the cafeteria.

"Hey, did you hear? We have a new mission. We are to obtain information about that Britannian if we can. The General said that those who provide useful information will be enlisted as Major in the army."

"What? Really?"

"What happened, Leila? What is with that look on your face?" Anna asked, concerned for her friend.

"Nothing, Anna. It's just… the mission, I know that to the EU, he's an enemy and we should provide the information but he's my brother. I don't know what to do."

"Well, just ask him." She handed her a phone.

"When did you take his number?!" She almost screamed.

"After the test before we went to the airport. Just talk to him. We can do one thing. Exchange information. Ask him about himself and we will provide him intel about the Hydra."

"But…"

" _Hikaru Alaina speaking. What is it, Anna?"_ His voice from the phone interrupted their conversation.

"Nothing from me, Hikaru. Leila needs to talk to you about something."

"Um… Hikaru, we received a new mission today and it's something like this…"

She then told him everything about what had happened.

" _I see. I'll go with Anna's idea. Anna, write down everything I say."_

"Alright."

" _Let's see. My basic profile, huh? I can do that. I need something about that Hydra thing though. That thing has been too destructive."_

"I'll send the data and plans I had about it to you."

" _Thanks. Okay, let's start. Hikaru Alaina, aged 15…"_

 **30 minutes later**

"Finished." Anna said with a tired sigh.

"Thanks, Hikaru."

" _Don't worry. Anything for my family. Oh, looks like I have to go. Ah, before I forget, thanks for the upgrades, Anna. Bye, Leila, Anna."_

He hung up and Leila returned her phone to Anna. "Thanks, Anna…. Anna?"

Said violet haired young woman was now sleeping, her head on the table.

 **Britannian HQ, MEF**

Hikaru hung up the call and then went to the hangar, where his Knightmare was. "Looks like Edith will have a hard time, having to transport the new upgrades here."

He looked at the new Reaper. 'Well, I named the previous one after my mother, S-01. So, this one should be **AC-01 Reaper** , named appropriately after Anna Clement.'

The new Reaper looked even more dangerous. The white streaks were removed and the grenade launchers were now installed in the left arm of the Reaper. The right hand had a shotgun attached to it currently. The scythe was resting on the back of the Reaper. The Glide Panels were scrapped entirely, leaving room for improvement of the Landspinners. The legs were also modified and had a small burst cannon installed in each. 'The **Phasor Cannon** , I think.' The legs and arms were also outfitted with long blades on all directions, making the kicks and jumps more deadly. The scythe was the same in appearance, with the small change of the handle being white with red in between. The blade also had red streaks on it, resembling blood. The machine guns and mini-scythes were scrapped and the shotgun was improved, now with less recoil and better aiming, also including higher power. 'The bullets are improved too. But I will use the energy coating to the fullest.' The shield was the same while the face was changed. It was now looking more like a black mask, with the features of a demon, with glowing red eyes and sharp fang-like teeth. The flamethrower was located at the same point but the power was increased. 'And the scythe too, it has more cutting power thanks to the extra power source.'

He then went back to his room, closing the glass behind him, locking the Reaper.

' _The new AC-01 Reaper is looking awesome and I like it, Anna. Thanks!'_

He sent a message to her before pocketing his phone as he reached the briefing room.

"Chief General, here is a basic analysis of the Hydra that I've compiled. I believe that it covers everything from basic plans and structure to weaponry and movement."

"Good work, MajGen. How is your second mission coming along?"

"The taking of the cities is going well. I believe that at the rate we are going, the taking of fort Al Hamiz will be possible by the end of this month. However, the taking of the cities requires us to maintain order there. Hence, I would like to place a few squadrons of men in each conquered city. Along with 1 Knightmare squadron consisting of Sutherlands, one squadron for every 3 infantry."

"That proposal will be discussed at a later date."

"Understood."

"And the Hydra? Has anyone formulated a counter against that tank?"

"Your highness, I believe that we should first check who the supplier is."

"Supplier?"

"That tank is manufactured by the EU. That's why it is more advanced and sturdier than we thought. As for now, we should put a _Retreat_ order for Hydra. Anyone in a Knightmare will try and set traps to stall it. Possibly use mines and the like to make the ground collapse to stop its movement. Right now, our current technology is not enough to destroy it."

"What do you mean?" Darlton asked in a grim tone.

"To put it bluntly, the EU has one over us in this matter. Besides, the only Knightmare which has been shown to damage the Hydra extensively is my Reaper. However, it cannot be produced easily and piloting it is even harder. So, we have only 1 unit that can fight them. And the amount they can manufacture is high. So, we simply cut our losses and retreat, instead of foolishly fighting them, resulting in the loss of Knightmares and soldiers, which will lead to long-term economic losses and losses in personnel. This will also make the taking of Al Hamiz next to impossible."

"Then do as you feel is right. Guilford, make sure this new information reaches _all_ our forces. MajGen Alaina, from today, you are to train in the simulators against our pilots and the simulations of Hydra and improve your skills."

Yes, your highness!"

"Dismissed!"

 **Paris**

"Sir, this is the information that we have compiled on our target, Hikaru Alaina and his Knightmare, Reaper."

 _Name : Hikaru Alaina_

 _Age : 15_

 _Nationality : Britannian_

 _Hair color : Blue_

 _Eye color : Blue_

 _Height : 5'10'' (approximate)_

 _Rank : Brigadier General, Britannian Military_

 _Knightmare : S-01 Reaper_

 _Weapons : Large scythe, machine guns, shotgun, grenade launcher, flamethrower, leg-mounted blades, small scythes_

 _Specifications : High speed Knightmare, advanced weapons, high defenses, automatic shield_

 _Skills : Weapons expert, hand-to-hand_

 _Family :_

 _William Alaina (Father) (Deceased)_

 _Setsuna Alaina (Mother) (Deceased)_

 _Tsurara Alaina (Younger Sister) (Deceased)_

 _Known supporters : None_

 _Known organisations : Genesis Inc._

 _Other qualifications : Top candidate of Legion_

 _Alias : Black Dragon_

"Impressive, Leila."

"Both of us did it, General." Leila interjected.

"I see." "General, if I may, Leila did more work than me. She deserves the promotion."

"Well then, Leila Malcal, you are hereby promoted to Major. Anna Clement, you are hereby promoted to Captain. Fulfill your duty and make the country proud."

"Yes sir!" They both saluted, smiling internally.

 **2 months later**

"Your highness, we have been facing more number of Hydras. Therefore, it is imperative that a counter should be devised."

"Guilford, Darlton, what are your thoughts on this?"

"It is true that we have faced numerous losses. What have you planned, MajGen Alaina?"

"This." He gave a stack of papers to them.

"That is the **Reaper Omega**. A more advanced version of my Knightmare. If it can be built with all the materials described, we will be devising an effective counter. But I will need permission to collect these materials."

"Hmm… nuclear power sources, sakuradite, orihalcum, MVS metals, titanium, carbide steel, graphene, platinum, iridium… more than half of these are dangerous materials."

"Yes. Even with my title as Grand Duke, I won't be able to procure them. So I need the permission of royalty, namely, her highness' permission."

 **2 weeks later**

"What is that, Anna?"

"The Reaper Omega, Hikaru's new Knightmare. I sent him the plans and he somehow got the permission to have it built and exported from the EU to Britannia. I am thinking that he pulled some strings."

"Of course he did. No one can get these materials unless they are royalty. Anyway, how much did you get?"

"Enough for two Knightmares. Or three."

"He's rich. That's for sure."

 **3 months later**

" _Hikaru, the Reaper Omega is finished."_

"Whew, thanks, Anna. I suppose that the materials were enough for two Knightmares, right?"

" _Two. And we have extra. Should I send it back to you?"_

"The extra metal? Hey, build that **Alexander** you showed me back then with that. I'd be happy if you did that."

" _Then I will build the first Alexander for you."_

"Haha… don't know if I can pilot that."

" _Of course you can."_

"Anyway, I have to go. Bye." He hung up and then looked at the finished Reaper Omega.

'Okay, this should be enough for the Hydra. Let's destroy some tanks.'

 **3 months later**

" _MajGen Alaina, you're too far out. Matc-"_

"Firstly, Guilford, could you call me without the title? It just bugs me. And secondly, I'm stopping. The Reaper is sensing multiple Hydra tanks. I'll just start off without you."

" _Hey. That's not fair. Leave some for us."_

"Really, David? That's not fair. Let's see, how many will I leave for you of my own volition? Hmm… zero. Bye bye, suckers."

The Reaper Omega disappeared in a burst of speed, sand erupting from the ground as it sped off towards the Hydra, now sporting two scythes on its back. It hefted a scythe and suddenly threw it at the Hydras, which he counted to 6. The scythe cut cleanly through 1 of them and then went on to hit a second. A sudden surge of electricity immobilised the second tank as the scythe was returned to the Reaper.

'Okay. The remote electrocution and the electromagnet generator are working well. Let's see about the improved shotgun and the shield.'

The Reaper procured its shotgun and aimed, firing at the Hydra. The bullet produced a gash in the hull. 'Let's try 59%.'

A few shots later, a Hydra lay destroyed, smoking from the flames produced by a flamethrower and covered in holes.

The sound of a cannon being fired was heard clearly over the chaos as a blue shield blocked the ball of destruction. A smirk found its way onto the blue-haired pilot's face as he fired his own grenade launcher, clashing with and destroying the barrels of a gatling gun.

 **5 minutes later**

The Reaper jumped over a tank, firing its shotgun at the cannon and a grenade at the other. Two explosions sounded like music to his ears as the two cannons were destroyed. 'Seriously, the Reaper Omega is OP!'

He then dragged the scythe along the tank, electric currents dancing across the blade, cutting into the hull. A few screams were heard, only to be quickly silenced by the flamethrower.

'Okay. Only three left.' The sound of approaching Knightmares made him sigh as he quickly dragged the two scythes through a tank,cutting it cleanly and destroying it.

"Hey, there is 1 left for you." He said in a joking way as he jumped onto a tank. A sudden explosion made him turn his head towards the remaining Knightmare, only to see one of the Knightmares missing an arm.

He then returned to his task, carving his scythe through the tank. The sharp weapon cut through the metal as the Reaper jumped up, bringing both of its arms up, moving them behind its face.

A second later, both of the scythes were spinning towards the Hydra, electric sparks clearly visible on the blade. Another second later, the scythes were lodged in the Hydra, electrocuting the tank. The scythes then returned to their rightful place on the back of the cockpit as the Reaper launched its Slash Harkens to the tank. With a little manipulation, the Reaper Omega was standing on the ground, the tank behind it falling slowly before exploding in a big combination of sand, metal and fire.

He then turned to the remaining machine to see it at almost 85% damage.

He then fired a few shots with the shotgun at the back of the hull, followed by a bunch of missiles. The end result was the Hydra's destruction and the crew's death.

"Okay, now we have to destroy all these things. No trace."

 **90 minutes later**

Hikaru sighed as he exited his Knightmare. 'If we take Al Hamiz, then we can end this. Hmm… maybe I should talk to Cornelia and get permission for a solo mission.'

 **2 days later**

"MajGen Hikaru Alaina, you are hereby promoted to Lieutenant General for your brave actions and your contribution in our mission to bring glory to our Empire. Fulfill your duty to our empire with pride."

"Yes, your highness."

He received an ovation from the people in the audience as he saluted to the royal before him. He then requested a private audience with Cornelia.

 **2 hours later**

"LtGen Alaina, what is it that you require?"

He looked at the occupants of the room. Cornelia was occupying her throne while Guilford and Darlton stood behind her on her sides.

"Chief General, I require permission for a mission. In that mission, I would like the assistance of her highness, Lord Guilford, Gen Darlton and the Royal Guard, along with a few other elite pilots."

"Only elite pilots? For what mission?"

"The taking of Fort Al Hamiz. I feel that the skirmish has lasted long enough. Due to the Hydra tanks, we are not making much of an advance on conquering the MEF. Therefore, I would like to lead the operation to take Al Hamiz. The losses we have incurred are more than enough in my eyes. So, we should just cut off the head of the snake. We have lost many Knightmares and equipment. But most of all, we have lost many good men, who gave their lives for something that they believed in. Our current pace would make their deaths go in vain. I cannot stand that. Therefore, I require your permission for this operation."

She stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking.

"Let's say that I did not give you the permission. What would you do then?"

"I would go myself on the mission. I would complete this, solo or not, losses and injuries be damned. And I don't care about breaking the rules if I can prevent more losses. After all, my friend used to say a quote which I liked very much. _'Rules are made to be broken. If you want to break them, learn them carefully. Break them properly.'_ I do believe that you know whose words I spoke."

"L-Lelouch… Fine then. I will grant you your permission. When will be the operation?"

"First things first, I require _black_ Gloucesters for all the members of the unit. That includes you. You can order new ones or you can paint the current ones. Just get black Gloucesters. Then I need to make some modifications to them. After that, get the members used to the new modifications. Only then, we can start planning for the attack. By the time the planning is finished, the new Gloucesters are ready and you are at optimum condition, I'd say 2 months, give or take. By that time, the required modifications for my Knightmare can be finished too." 'I need to give one of my Reaper Sigma to Anna for the required modifications. It will take some time and lots of money.'

He then bowed to the Chief General and then left. 'I should optimise my secondary Knightmare and send my primary for Anna to remodel.'

 **2 months later**

"Thank you, Anna. I know that I asked for a lot so thanks a lot."

" _It's alright. I can't disappoint my top customer, can I?"_

"Customer? I guess so. Anyway, I have to go. Look after Leila for me." _"Alright."_

He hung up and then started the Reaper. 'Still, the **Transformation** **High-Speed Mode** is very useful for taking the fort. But it's my trump card. I have to use it at the right time.'

"Is everything ready, Alaina?"

"Yeah. But this will be a dangerous mission. I'm sure that you're prepared of the possibility of death."

"I was ready to face death the moment I swore myself to Princess Cornelia."

Hikaru suddenly laughed a little, saying, "You know, Guilford, you should join the theater. You can make lots of money there."

Said Knight gritted his teeth at the indirect jab. "And you at the theater too. You can get lots of money for your theatrics."

"Thank you for the compliment." He replied with a mock bow.

"Anyway, let's go. The operation starts in 2 hours."

 **2 hours later**

Hikaru spoke over the comms. _"Alright. The callsigns for this mission will be as follows;_

 _Reaper - Omega_

 _Cornelia - Alpha_

 _Guilford - Bravo_

 _Darlton - Delta_

 _The Royal Guard will follow standard callsigns with Alpha group. Clear?"_

" _Hey what about us?"_

Hikaru sighed as he heard the cheerful voice of one Gino Weinberg.

" _Why are you here again?"_

" _Duh, we're elite pilots."_

" _Gah, fine. You too will follow standard signs under Guilford. You decide among yourselves. I want everyone to be ready in 60 seconds. Those who are not, they are left behind."_

He then started off, going towards the big fort seen in the distance.

 **Flashback**

" _Leila, I need your help. I think you reviewed the structure of the fort I showed you."_

" _Of course."_

" _I need your help in a strategy to take it down. I mean, literally."_

" _Collapse the whole fort?"_

" _Yeah. Can we do that?"_

" _Um sure. If you use a metal to conduct a wave of a certain frequency, the quartz, which is the main component of the fort, will break down. Without the support of the quartz, the fort will collapse."_

" _Hmm… Anna, can you get the two Reaper Omega and use them as raw materials to create a new Knightmare, with the same transformation as the Alexanders, with a scythe that can emit that frequency?"_

" _I will do it. But what about you? Which Knightmare will you use?"_

" _The S-01 Reaper. I still have it. And on that note, can you make some slight repairs to it? It's a bit damaged."_

" _Sure." She said, excited at the prospect of tinkering with the advanced Knightmares. "Thanks, Anna." As she walked away, Leila asked, "Why did you ask that question?"_

 _He left the question unanswered as she gasped. "You're planning on taking down Al Hamiz?! That's dangerous!"_

" _I know, Leila. But I have to do it. I have seen many good men perish. And for what? They perished for nothing. All the battles I fought, all the cities i managed to bring under our control, they were retaken by the Hydra tanks, and many men died. I can't have more of that. That's why, I will take down Al Hamiz, even if I get injured."_

 _She was silent for a few moments before she spoke. "Stay safe. I won't forgive you if you die." "I won't." He said as he ruffled her hair, making her pout._

 **Flashback end**

"The scythe is finished too. Now, I need to find a way to get into the centre of the fort and then stab the scythe into the ground, activate it and then bail. Man, why is life so hard on me…"

He accelerated as the Reaper, now two-legged, slid on the sand from the speed. "Well, time to put my racing skills to the test."

The Reaper disappeared in a burst of speed and he immediately received a few orders.

" _LtGen Alaina, reduce your speed. Immediately."_

" _Sorry. No can do."_

As if to mock the Knight, he accelerated a bit more and then took his scythe, the fort slowly being visible, closer and closer.

'I know that this is a team operation but the only one who can defeat a Hydra solo is me. So, I have to destroy as many of them before they get any support. And that means I have to be the first to engage them.'

 **20 minutes later**

'One more left!'

Two scythes pierced the tank at once as the Reaper started using the flamethrower to burn everything to ashes.

As the Gloucesters dealt with the Bamides surrounding the fort, the Reaper destroyed the Hydras around it. It jumped inside the fort, crashing through a wall and collapsing the roof with a grenade. The black Knightmare proceeded to the centre of the fort, only to come face-to-face with a group of Bamides, which started firing at it.

A group of missiles silenced them as the Reaper proceeded to its objective. 'The interior of the fort is more fortified than the outside.' He noted as he dispatched another group of Knightmares.

He arrived at the centre 30 minutes after he entered the fort.

He threw the third scythe at the ground, a little bit of electricity making it lodge itself firmly into the ground. Hikaru then pressed a small button in the controls and heard the satisfying screech of the scythe.

"Alright. Let's bail."

The Reaper turned to its high-speed mode and turned around, going to its previous point of entry.

" _All forces, exit the fort immediately."_

" _What?!"_

" _I said, BAIL!"  
_ He shouted as he dragged his scythe through the roof, destroying a few Knightmares and weakening the structure further, as he continued firing at the walls with the explosives while using one scythe and the shotgun to blast through his opponents.

A shaking brought him out of his conversation as the Reaper started to become unstable.

He accelerated higher, making the Reaper's legs move faster and jumped through the roof, using the Slash Harkens as leverage.

He continued his attack, taking out as many enemies as he could while escaping.

He looked at his unit, only to find all members still in the fort, fighting off the Bamides. He growled in anger and suddenly threw the scythe at the group of Bamides as the four-legged Knightmare jumped from above them. It fired shots from the shotgun while simultaneously swinging the scythe in a wide arc.

" _You idiots! Get out of here!"_

" _But, we have to-"_ Gino was cut off as a warning shot was fired at his Knightmare, damaging its arm.

" _Gino Weinberg, I will tell you only once. I am ordering this as your superior and the current leader of the unit. Exit the location of operations and proceed to fall back to base. If you disobey my orders, I will disable your Knightmare and drag you back, whether you want to or not. Now, leave."_

The Reaper continued its assault as the shaking increased. 'Okay, the structure is being destabilised now. So the time to collapse will be approximately 3 minutes.'

He then looked behind to notice the Gloucesters slowly retreating. He started to move back slowly, firing and slashing at the approaching Bamides.

He suddenly jumped out, firing the grenades and missiles at the roof and entrance. He grinned as the roof collapsed, blocking the exits.

'Now, let's wait.'

A shot made the Reaper turn towards the source. 'Oh well, let's kick some ass. More Bamides for me to destroy.'

He jumped towards the MEF forces with an almost savage grin on his face. "Let's dance, fools. You are my prey and I am the _Reaper_."

 **Meanwhile with Cornelia's unit**

The group of black Gloucesters moved backwards towards the G-1 base, their weapons hefted and ready for any attacks.

" _Your highness, LtGen Alaina has not returned. He is still at the fort."_

" _Try and raise his unit."_

" _We have tried. He is rejecting the communications."_

" _Then we stop here."_

They heard a big explosion as the Reaper suddenly appeared, its scythe being dragged across the sand as it changed directions and then turned again. The Bamides following it suddenly fell down as the sand shifted below them. 'Well, the scythe is working, even after I dug it out of the collapsed ruins.'

He then said, _"What are you waiting for? Al Hamiz is down. The only things left of Jordan are the cities. From tomorrow, it's our time. Our time for victory!"_

 **3 weeks later**

"As of now, Jordan has been conquered. A part of the MEF is under our control. Now, I would like to honour the brave soldiers who played a major part in this conquest."

Behind her stood Hikaru, Guilford, Darlton, the Glaston Knights and the Royal Guard. At the back of them were Hikaru's former Legion group.

"LtGen Alaina, you have been promoted to General. Lord Guilford is now awarded the rank of Gen. All other soldiers are awarded the rank of LtCol."

A standing ovation was given to them as they all saluted. "Dismissed!"

 **2 hours later**

"Hikaru, where are you going?"

"Yeah. Sarah said that she heard you asking for a posting in a separate place along with permission for undercover duty."

"Yeah. And why do you need to know that? I won't be needing any help with what I'm about to do. Not yours, at least."

"Hey! What do you mean by that?"

"What I said, Carter. Now, if you will move, I need to take my Knightmares. My private jet will be departing in 45 minutes."

He exited the room, taking his things along with him.

 **30 minutes later**

"Hikaru, we will be landing in Tokyo International Airport. ETA 14 hours."

"I see. Edith, I will take some rest. Can you wake me afterwards?"

"Sure."

He then went to his room and fell onto the bed, tired and bored. He managed a small smile at the thought of Japan.

'Wait for me. I will be coming there soon, Milly, Lelouch, nunnally. This time, I will protect you. Japan, the Black Dragon is coming.'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Finished with it finally. Anyway my birthday is on March 1st so I decided to upload it today, as a gift to myself. (Yay!) Anyways, I will not write the next chapter till the 13th of March because my finals start on March 1st. And I need to focus on these real world problems. (Damn it! Real world problems, damn you!)**

 **The next chapter will be started after 13th march. Don't know when it will be published, maybe 16th, give or take. The next chapter will focus on Hikaru joining Ashford and the starting of that.**

 **Read and Review…**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hello guys. I'm back with Chapter 13. This will cover Hikaru's entry to Japan and his interactions with Lelouch and Nunnally, along with Milly. And it will also contain the meeting of Hikaru and the Student Council. This will also cover their vacation to France along with a big twist. That's all for now.**

 **Chapter 13**

 **Revival of the Black Dragon**

 **Tokyo International Airport, Japan**

Hikaru stepped out of the jet with a yawn and watched as the Reaper Omega was unloaded from the jet. "Edith, how is Ethan?" "He's well. But I plan on…"

"I understand. Just look after him. He's almost a brother to me."

"Understood. And… Hikaru, thank you."

As the jet disappeared from view, he turned around, hearing a familiar voice. "Fancy jet."

"Hello, Lelouch. Where's Nunnally?"

"Home."

"Well, ever ride a Knightmare?"

"Huh?"

 **30 minutes later**

"Hahahaha… Lelouch, what happened to you? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

*Pant* *Pant* "No. I came face-to-face with a damn Reaper who decided that it was a good idea to go top speed in a machine I didn't even ride in before today."

Hikaru bit back a laugh and then bent down. "Hello, Nunnally."

"How are you, Hikaru-san?"

"I'm fine but looks like Lelouch isn't." " What happened?" "I gave him a ride in my Knightmare." "Knightmare?"

"Yeah. The Reaper Omega." "Why a Reaper?"

"Huh?" "I mean, you _are_ the Black Dragon."

"I still believe myself to be more of a Shinigami. But I need to talk with my friend. I will see what can be done about that dragon. Well, that will be when we visit France."

"France?" "Paris, more specifically."

Lelouch picked up on his words. "Wait… 'we'?"

"Yeah. I was planning on inviting you guys too. Nunnally, do you want to visit France? Because I remember you telling me at Aries Villa that you wanted to visit France at least once." "Really?! Can we visit Paris?" "Of course we can, Nunnally."

Lelouch looked like he wanted to protest but was silenced by a glare from Hikaru that was saying, "If you protest or object, I will show you why I consider myself the Reaper."

Lelouch then said, "Well, when are we going?"

"Hmm… I'd say in this week. After I go and get my ID and Knightmare registered."

"ID?" "Yeah, Nunnally. I am a General now. I need to let the Viceroy know that a General from another royal's command is in his Area and also get my Knightmare registered."

"Wasn't it about… 13-14 months since you joined the army?" "Yeah, Milly. What of it?"

"Nothing. Just thinking of getting you a cover." "Before you say anything, I will be joining Ashford Academy. I need to finish my education anyway. At least, what is left to be finished."

"Then you will be studying with us? That's good news!" Nunnally said, her happiness contagious. Hikaru and Lelouch smiled as Hikaru put his bags on the couch and then lay down on the couch, sprawled on the comfortable piece of furniture.

"Sayoko-san, could you please put Hikaru-san's bag in the guest room?"

"Hai, Nunnally-sama." A maid with slight brown hair and eyes said as she took Hikaru's surprisingly heavy bag and put it in a room adjacent to the living room, struggling a bit.

"What does he even have in those?" She muttered quietly to herself… or so she thought.

"Training equipment along with a few weapons. And my coat and boots. I would've put it afterwards but thanks anyway." Hikaru replied tiredly as he looked at the room which was temporarily his. "I don't technically know you but, Sayoko-san, thank you."

He then went into unconsciousness, his breathing making it clear that he was sleeping.

 **2 hours later**

An orangette was moving towards the couch, about to wake up the blue-haired teen. As she was about to shake his shoulder, a hand suddenly caught her wrist, gripping it a bit tightly. She gasped in pain as he opened his eyes swiftly, taking his gun and pointing it at her forehead. She shrieked in fear, the feminine voice snapping him out of his stupor. "Hikaru!" "Woah! Who the hell are you?!" "Shirley!"

He immediately released the girl as his senses snapped in recognition. 'That's right. I am in the clubhouse with Lelouch and Nunnally.'

He was still for a second before he stood up, going towards the guest room.

"Give me some time." He muttered as he went into the room, not bothering to close the door behind him. He returned a few minutes later, now wearing a fresh set of clothes.

He walked straight to the orangette and immediately bowed down to her. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I was in a daze and didn't know what I was doing. I sincerely apologize."

The emerald-eyed girl was surprised for a bit before she said, "Um… it's okay. I wasn't hurt anyways." She put her hand forward. "I'm Shirley Fenette, Student Council Member."

Having recovered from the sudden change in the orangette's mood, he shook her hand. "Hikaru Alaina."

"Say, who are you anyway? Not everyone can get a gun." A blue-haired teenager commented. "You are?" "Oh sorry. Rivalz Cardemonde, Student Council Secretary and there is Nina Einstein, Student Council Member. And you are Hikaru Alaina."

"Yeah. I am a friend, you could say, of Lelouch, Nunnally and Milly."

"W-wa-wait. How did you get a g-gun?" Shirley stuttered as she looked at the gun that was in his holster.

"I am a general in the army. Of course I'd get a gun. And I can get a gun simply because I am Grand Duke." He said simply, like it wasn't a big deal.

"WHAT?!"

"G-g-general?" "G-grand d-duke?"

"Let me introduce myself again. Hikaru Alaina, Grand Duke Valdstein, Britannian Military General, at your service." He gave a slight bow and then looked at their faces, which were dazed with confusion.

"Don't forget the Black Dragon."

Hikaru sighed as he heard the alias again. 'Ain't gonna be rid of it that easily.'

 **20 minutes later**

After everyone had been settled down, all matters clarified, Hikaru sat at the table, a tray in his hand. "Here, some hot chocolate for all of you. And a milkshake for Nunnally and Milly."

They took a cup each and took a sip.

"Um, can you give me the recipe?" "Sure, Shirley." He took a notepad and quickly jotted down a paragraph.

"That's the basic version. You can then customise it according to what you want. I gave the recipes for both the hot chocolate and the milkshake. I just add a bit more sugar and cocoa, along with some ganache and whipped cream."

"Thanks."

Hikaru just smiled in response.

"Shirley, did you ever see France?"

"Huh? France? No. Why?" 'Oh no! That look in her eyes… Milly's planning something. And I will be the main centre of this plan.'

"I am going to France along with Lelouch and Nunnally. Will you guys come too?" Hikaru skillfully interrupted.

"Eh? France? Really?!" "Yeah. I'm going there to meet my friends."

"If it's no problem…"

"Sure."

"Well, we will be going there by my private jet. 3 days from now, give or take."

Hikaru said as he then took his Knightmare key, about to go out and park his Knightmare somewhere.

"What is that?" "This, Rivalz, is my Knightmare, Reaper Omega's activation key." He said as he passed it to the Secretary.

He examined the key, which was shaped like a scythe, the handle the key and the blade a holder. Rivalz suddenly pressed a button on the side of the blade. "What does this do?"

"Oh shit!" Hikaru cursed as he grabbed the key and ran outside, where a rumbling sound was heard. The other members ran out, only to find a scary four-legged Knightmare, which had a scythe in one hand and a shotgun in the other, the legs also fully armed with blades.

Hikaru pressed another button and the Knightmare stopped, suddenly transforming into a bipedal machine.

" _That_ is Reaper Omega, my personal Knightmare." Hikaru said as he jumped up, into the cockpit and moved the Knightmare to the back of the clubhouse.

"Oi oi… are you sure it's okay to park your extremely scary Knightmare behind the clubhouse? The others may be able to see it."

"The Knightmare can be cloaked. And I can just hide it on the roof. No one will be able to find it." He then proceeded to transform the Knightmare into its high-speed mode and then jumped up onto the roof, when the Knightmare suddenly disappeared.

Hikaru then jumped down from the roof without any injuries, crouching on landing.

"Looks like my training paid off."

He then said, "Hey, tell your parents about the trip. Tell them that you are going with a friend of a friend and that everything will be safe."

"Alright."

 **2 days later**

"Seriously, why did you even try to attack me, Lelouch?"

"Nunnally was crying. And you were the only one in the clubhouse."

"What? You assumed that I made her cry, when I was actually cutting onions?"

The exiled prince grumbled as he turned his head in embarrassment while Nunnally giggled.

"Seriously, onii-sama, you really thought Hikaru-san hurt me? I think that he's the last person that will hurt me."

"Tied with Lelouch, I'd say."

Hikaru then finished bandaging the slight wound on Lelouch's arm and then stood up, putting his first-aid kit back into his box.

"Remind me to never run while wearing your clothes or shoes. Those things are heavy as hell." "Of course. Those are my specially tailored clothes. You didn't think I would go into battle without any type of protection, did you? All my clothes are lined with metal, the same metal as my Reaper. And my shoes are lined with steel. My katana, is pure black, as you can see. It's tempered steel mixed with steel carbide, titanium and the same metal as the Reaper's body and scythe."

"You take everything overboard, Hikaru."

"On the contrary, Shirley, this coat protected me from a piece of shrapnel which would have hit my heart."

"That's…" "... lucky."

Hikaru then looked at his uniform. "Milly, why do I get the feeling that you made some strange arrangement for my admission into the Academy?" "Now why would you think that?"

"Let's see. Something like… he's a film actor and currently single and looking for a girlfriend or something like that." He guessed. "Spot on!" Shirley exclaimed. He glared at the blonde Ashford heiress.

"I'm leaving." Hikaru said quickly. "I need to check my Knightmare to see if it's working properly. I am bringing it with me on the trip."

"Your Knightmare?" "Yeah. Who knows when I will need it. It's not a problem since I will be using my personal jet. Being rich has its advantages, after all."

 **The next day**

"We thank you all for choosing Hikaru airlines." Hikaru said in a mock voice as the others laughed a bit at that.

"Anyway, the pilots are skilled. So, you can just rest and I'll wake you up when we land in Paris."

"Hikaru-san, can you hold my hand? It has been a long time since I flew."

"It's alright, Nunnally. You will be safe here." He held her hand, squeezing it comfortingly as Lelouch smiled a bit. "Hikaru, who will receive us at Paris?"

"Two close friends of mine. Oh and at the airport, you should refer to me as Hikaru Thurston, a distant relative of Milly. I am quite infamous in the EU."

"Infamous?"

"Let's say, there is a _Flee on Sight_ in the EU for my profile. I was able to conquer a few cities single-handedly and so I have an S++ ranking. That means, very dangerous."

Hikaru took a pair of contact lenses which were colored yellow. He then took a hair dye and applied some to his hair, making his hair look like blue with black highlights.

"Complete. Say, Shirley, can you recognize me?"

The orangette who was reading a magazine, looked at him and then asked, "Who are you? And where's Hikaru?"

He smirked. "Looks like it is working." "Well, yeah."

 **5 hours later**

"Big brother! Here!" "Hikaru, we're here!"

Hikaru turned towards the source of the voice, only to find Leila and Anna waving at him, now wearing a military uniform.

He walked towards them with his hands in his pocket. "Looks like you bagged the promotions."

"It was all thanks to your help." "Hmm… I can say the same for you. It was because of both of your help that I am a General now."

"General?" "Yeah. Oh, before I forget, these are my friends, Lelouch, Lelouch's sister Nunnally, Milly, Shirley and Rivalz. They are the Student Council members which I am joining." "Nice to meet you. I'm Anna Clement and this is my friend Leila Malcal."

"So, Leila, did you get to set up the transport?"

"Yeah. You can store the Reaper at Anna's house. We will be staying in my house."

"About that, I booked rooms in Hotel Mercure Paris before I came here. I didn't want to cause your family any trouble. But we can go to my mother's house if you want to. I can just cancel the rooms."

"Oh… okay then."

She led them through the gate. Everyone was accepted except Hikaru, who was suddenly surrounded by members of the military, who pointed their guns at him.

"Hikaru!"

"Might I ask what is the meaning of this?" He asked calmly, not a little bit fazed by the guns leveled at him.

"You are not welcome here, Black Dragon of Britannia, Hikaru Alaina." A new voice said.

"General Smilas, sir." The soldiers saluted. 'General Smilas, huh? This was the guy who talked with my mother many years ago. And presently he's the General of the Army for the EU. So I need to be careful if I want Leila, Anna and everyone to be safe.'

"Good morning, General Smilas, sir. I would like to know why I am having guns leveled at me, especially when I have done nothing to warrant such extreme actions."

"You are a wanted person in the EU. Or more specifically, you are a target for our army, Hikaru Alaina?"

"Hikaru Alaina? Who's that? I'm Hikaru Thurston." He showed him his ID. "I'm just a student. I didn't think that being a student made me a target."

He then continued calmly. "I came here with my friends to visit Paris, seeing as it is an extremely beautiful city. And I have all the necessary documents and permissions for my belongings."

'This boy, he is not telling me the whole truth.'

"Anyways, the higher-ups have given us orders to execute you if you ever step foot in here. Therefore, you have to die."

A sudden sound was heard as the barrels of the gun fell to the floor, now Hikaru was holding a katana in his hand. His eyes held a warning, daring them to try.

"I will say only one thing. I came here for a peaceful vacation from school. I am trained in martial arts, especially bladed weapons. And I have all the licenses to carry weapons, _international_ licenses. That means, a right to kill if I have a justified reason. And trying to kill me without no reason, not letting me explain myself, and also plan to hurt my friends, gives me a perfectly good reason to kill you. Now, the only reason I am not doing so is because I would like to avoid all the fuss and blood, if I could. So, can we just sit at a table and talk? Of course, I would like it if my friends were given freedom, since it seems you have a problem with me only." He said in a matter-of-fact tone, sheathing his katana.

"And besides, you will have a lot of problems on your hand if you _execute_ an innocent foreign _civilian_ for no reason. I have a lot of influential friends and I could kill you without any weapons and without any injuries to myself. The only problems anyone is going to face will be you with the international treaty. I will not, frankly, have any problems."

They stood for a few tense seconds of which felt like hours as the General said, "I apologise for my actions. We will let your companions leave. You will be interrogated by our forces. If it turns out that you are really who you claim to be, then we will leave you alone. If you are not, then you will be imprisoned along with your friends. Is that acceptable? If you do not comply with the terms, then all of you will be imprisoned at this moment."

"Those terms are acceptable."

He then looked at Lelouch, tossing him a phone. "I don't have your number. I will call you on that." As Lelouch looked at the screen, his eyes narrowed. On the screen was a message from Hikaru. _'If I don't contact you within 1 hour with any good news, leave with everyone else. That contact in the phone is my assistant. Tell her the circumstances and you guys will be back in Tokyo. Be careful. After you are done, show this message to Leila and Anna.'_ Lelouch nodded slightly at Hikaru and then said, "It's alright, Nunnally. Everything will be alright." He then showed the message to Leila and Anna.

 **2 hours later**

"It's beautiful." Hikaru said as he took a photograph of the Eiffel Tower. He then handed it to Nunnally who traced the small holographic projection.

"The air feels great." Nunnally said as she took a deep breath. "Anyway, what did they ask you, Hikaru?" Shirley asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Nothing. Just standard. But that won't work against me. Not after the Legion test." He whispered the last part under his breath.

"Anyway, where should we go? The hotel or my mother's house?"

"Your mother's house! I really want to see what the house of nobility looks like!" Rivalz exclaimed immediately.

"Fine then. My house it is."

He then had another thought and asked, "Leila, am I a target only for the army or were my details released to the general public?"

"Only the army, as far as I know."

"Well that's good news, I guess."

He then said, "Daniel, get permission to take off. Land the jet at the house. We will arrive there."

" _Alright, boss."_

Hikaru then said, "We'll just tour some more and then go to the house." "Could you come to my house once? I want to introduce you to my family." She signaled Hikaru with her hand. A look of realization crept into his eyes. 'I see. The asshole brother, huh? Let's talk to him.' "Okay. We'll drop off the things at the house and take my car."

"Your car?" Lelouch questioned.

"Yeah. My car, my father's car to be more specific. And the only one of its type."

 **1 hour later**

Hikaru took in a deep breath as he entered the room. 'Don't know why but this place smells just like mom… haha, of course, she lived here.'

He then went up the stairs with a slight change in his step as he went towards his room, then immediately fell down on the bed, a sigh from his mouth as he smiled slightly.

"Nostalgic, I guess?"

"Yeah. I still remember you running in the hallways, only to clumsily fall down and cry a little before I carried you up to my room, where you reverted back to your previous state and then tried to play with my hair, styling it in different ways. Yeah, nostalgic." He teased as the blonde pouted, an embarrassed blush on her face.

"Really, Leila used to be like that?" Anna said from behind her with a slight laugh. "I didn't have that image of her."

"Anna!" Leila shouted, flustered.

"Anyway, Anna, can you keep them company while I go and _talk_ with Leila's family?"

"Something tells me you are not going to 'just' talk with them."

"Spot on."

 **1 hour later**

Hikaru shook the man's hand. 'At least Leila's parents don't seem bad.'

"Hello sir, ma'am. I'm Hikaru Thurston, Leila's friend and surrogate brother, as you might have heard from your daughter."

He then looked at the two young men behind him. 'Daniel and Stephan.'

The two of them then tried to introduce themselves to him.

"You're the friend that Leila spoke of? It's nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Leila was talking to me about how nice you two were and how she wanted to be like you two, the image of confidence." Hikaru said with a small glance at Leila. The blonde understood and stood silent.

"What's this? A _Britannian_?" A third voice said, the last part filled with a little disgust.

'Ioan Malcal, the third brother. And… the asshole.'

Hikaru glanced over his shoulder as he heard the sound of a wheelchair.

"Hikaru-san, the others are getting impatient." She was being pushed by Lelouch while Anna guided him.

"Leila! You're already useless and what do you bring to the mansion? Useless Britannians? One's a useless cripple and one a pretty boy. Can't you do something useful for even once, you worthle-"

He couldn't finish as a fist embedded itself into his gut.

"If you insult my family anymore, I _will kill you_ , understood?"

Hikaru's voice was cold as ice, as if the temperature literally dropped in the room.

"Say, according to your logic, a cripple is worthless? Then should I _make_ _you_ worthless too? Because I am tempted to do it."

A strong hand gripped his wrist, twisting it threateningly.

"L-let me go. LET ME GO!"

He was released as the blue-haired teenager let go of him.

"Remember, I am letting Leila stay here because she _wants_ to. However, if I ever hear you even trying to hurt her, remember, my opponents consider myself a Reaper. You don't want to know why. That goes to everyone of you. You even try to hurt her and I will hurt you many times back."

He then walked back to Lelouch and Nunnally. "I believe that introductions are over. I would like to take my leave, seeing as I don't have many days in my vacation."

He grabbed Leila's wrist. "Let's go." He dragged her for a bit before she ran after him, still being held by him, while he gave Lelouch a look saying, 'Get moving.'

"Anna, will you move or should I drag you like Leila?" The lilac-haired woman immediately moved as she lightly pushed Lelouch and then walked quickly. He stopped at the door, making Leila and Anna stop. He glared at them over his shoulder as he said with venom in his voice. "Honestly, the only thing stopping me from annihilating you is that you looked after my sister. That's all. Treasure her as family, because I can't be her family. Not with the decisions we both have taken."

 **20 minutes later**

Hikaru continued driving while Leila, Anna and Lelouch sat calmly in the car, Nunnally a mixture of excited and frightened, both at his previous outburst and speed.

"Slow down, big brother."

"Don't talk to me right now. I need to focus." He dismissed her harshly.

"Yes?" Lelouch answered his phone.

" _Tell the hothead to slow down. We can't follow him at his speed."_

"Tell that to him directly, Prez."

He put it on speaker.

"Milly, I know what you are about to say. But Daniel knows Paris and he can get you there. Right now, I am a bit angry so just don't say anything."

He then cut the call while taking a sharp turn and then drifting into another without any decrease in speed. He then started to accelerate even more as he reached the top while drifting into a stop.

He then said, "We're here." He then left the car, walking towards the edge of the mountain towards a lone tree.

He looked at the trunk, his eyes scanning the tree until he found what he was looking for.

On the tree, four names were carved with what looked like a knife. He read each name with fondness.

" _Hikaru Alaina, Leila Breisgau, Setsuna Alaina, Claudia Breisgau_ … I don't know why but just looking at this spot makes my anger vanish." He mumbled quietly to himself as Leila stood behind him. "I see you still remember this place."

"I remember. This was our favorite spot when we were young. We used to play here when we were not at the house."

"You do remember!" Leila said with a smile. 'Looks like his anger has faded.'

"Beautiful place." Lelouch commented as he looked at the scenery. "Hey, where are Prez and the others?" "They are sightseeing. I don't think you would want to, after all you did. You guys are not as energetic as them, me included. So I just wanted to get away from all that rush."

"Good choice. Anyway, Hikaru, my parents want to meet you. Something about meeting the pilot who modified the Reaper Omega to the optimum performance level it is at now."

"That's alright. I will meet them when they are free. I don't want to interrupt their work."

"I will talk to them and see when they are free."

 **2 hours later**

"Papa, Mama, this is your pilot, Hikaru."

Hikaru bowed to them before his hand was taken in a handshake.

"He's so young." "Anna dear, is he really the pilot?"

"Of course! He is the one that asked me to build the Reaper series and also was the one to provide the materials for the first Alexander."

"Dear, he is the pilot Anna was talking about. I saw his face a few times when she was talking with him."

"Um… if you still have doubts, I could always pilot the Knightmare in a simulator. I am sure that I could get a score in the high 90's" Said pilot suggested.

"Ho… is that a challenge. Boy?"

"If you think of it as such, then I have no problem. Though I don't have a problem even if you treat it as a friendly match or something."

 **15 minutes later**

"Finished." Hikaru said as he got out of the simulator cockpit.

"Perfect score. Your score was 100."

"What? My assimilation score or my hit score?"

"Both." "I see."

"There you go. He _is_ the pilot I was talking about."

"Right, right. Sorry for doubting you. But kid, you look like you have lot of experience with the Reaper."

"I fought for 1 year using the Reaper series. I think that I would be experienced. By the way, Anna, can you give me a copy of the simulator's design? I'll have one built for my personal use. Seems like Britannian simulators are not able to exactly match the specs of my KMF with the real thing."

"I will give it to you by tomorrow."

"Merci." "Wait. You speak French?"

"But of course, Mademoiselle Anna. My mother is half-French, half-Japanese. But my French is not fully fluent, though I can speak and understand French."

"I see." "So, I think our companions are waiting."

"Ah, I said that they should go ahead as this may take some time. They took your car."

"My car? And the driver?" "Leila was driving it."

"Oh no! She sucks at driving these types of cars!" He immediately called Lelouch. "Lelouch, wherever you are, tell Leila to stop the car."

" _Can't do that. Some Knightmares are after us!"_ "What?! Knightmares?" 'Why would they be after Lelouch and the others? Unless…'

He growled ferally as he realized the intentions of the Knightmares and their pilots. "I need to go. Lelouch, don't hang up. I am tracing with the GPS. For now, just try and hide."

He jumped into the Reaper's cockpit and then started the Knightmare. "W-wait." Anna said as she ran in after him, squeezing into the cockpit just as it closed behind her.

"Anna?! Fine! Just take a seat and don't touch anything!"

He kickstarted the Knightmare, his anger visible in his eyes.

The Reaper Omega jumped up as he moved out of the Clement Estate, changing into its High-Speed Form in mid-air. "Let's do this. **Shinigami** , launch!"

The Reaper ran on the roads and rooftops, its footsteps causing small craters to be formed. The black Knightmare ran at full speed, going towards the hills at the outskirts. A magnified voice spoke through a speaker. _"Unknown Knightmare, stop your actions and surrender. Do as we say or we will shoot."_ A few Knightmares appeared before him.

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" He roared as he slashed the Panzer-Hummels and the Gardmares with his scythe, cutting them into pieces.

He did not stop to check on the damage.

 **10 minutes later**

"Why are Knightmares attacking us?!" Lelouch shouted as he carried Nunnally, her wheelchair long forgotten in the car and already destroyed by the Knightmares along with the car.

They continued running. "Oh no!" Leila shouted in despair as they came up to a dead end.

"Dammit!" 'Will I die along with Nunnally? Without being able to do anything? Without power? Will I die without fulfilling my goal? Without my ambition? Without the power to protect Nunnally? No! I won't accept this! I will not accept this!'

As the Knightmares aimed their weapons at them, Lelouch held Nunnally close to him. Suddenly, a sound akin to a roar was heard, followed by a spinning and slashing sound as something heavy was lodged in the wall behind them.

The blonde looked at the object, only to see a scythe, a giant scythe. The Reaper Omega suddenly appeared before them, now two-legged.

The cockpit opened and Hikaru jumped down with Anna in his arms, a look of feral anger on his face. He set the lilac-haired girl down and then looked at his surrogate family.

"Are you three alright?"

"Y-yes. We are alright, thanks to you." Leila said in shock at the look on his face.

Hikaru then turned back as the Reaper's shield blocked all the attacks fired at them. "Don't look at what will happen now. I don't want you guys to be affected by my darkness. For just this moment, I will become the Reaper in front of someone I care about deeply. So please, just look away."

He then jumped into the Reaper's cockpit and grabbed the scythe lodged in the wall behind them and then fired a few shots with his shotgun while moving back a little.

"You worthless scum! You committed a _sin_ by attacking my family and the punishment for that sin is DEATH!"

The Reaper charged forward, before sticking its scythe into the ground behind it and letting off an electrical pulse. The ground behind him started to rise from the sudden attack, making a platform rise before them, shielding his family from the attacks. He then started attacking without restraint. The sound of metal cutting through metal and the screams of the pilots were all that were heard before they were silenced by the explosion of the Knightmare. Suddenly, the rock platform was blown apart and the Reaper appeared. Hikaru then jumped down from the Knightmare and then looked at the single cockpit which had been detached by the Reaper from the nightmare. He walked towards the cockpit while pressing a button. The Reaper's shotgun, which was aimed at the cockpit, suddenly fired a shot at the top, ripping the top straight off the cockpit.

He took his gun and then jumped above the cockpit, firing a shot at where the pilot's leg would be. A satisfying scream was heard as Hikaru dragged the pilot out of the cockpit and then threw him to the ground, aiming a gun at him the whole time.

"Who sent you?"

He shouted something in French. He turned to Leila and Anna for a translation.

"I will not tell you."

The blue-haired teenager stood silent for a few seconds before he aimed his gun while sending Lelouch a glance. The exiled prince then closed his sister's ears tightly, as a single gunshot echoed in the area. The victim screamed as his kneecap was shot before he was kicked by his assailant.

"I will shoot you until you answer all my questions." Leila then translated for him.

This continued for a while before Hikaru sighed.

"Leila, tell him that I will torture him for the information if he doesn't tell me anything by my next question."

The said blonde gulped at his words and then translated.

"No, not telling much, except that he had orders from higher-ups to kill you and not leave any witnesses."

"Which higher-up?"

"He only said that it was a direct order from a general."

"Okay, last chance. GIve me the name and you won't suffer."

He didn't say anything and the Shinigami sighed.

"Okay. Don't tell me that I didn't warn you."

Hikaru then took his knife before passing Lelouch a pair of earphones, a thumb pointed towards Nunnally.

Lelouch nodded as he understood and placed the earphones in her ears and then covered them while playing some music on his phone, effectively making her oblivious to her surroundings. Hikaru then proceeded to stab the man's open wounds. The man screamed in pain but refused to say anything. Hikaru then stabbed him again and again until he screamed a name. "AARON! AARON STONE!"

Hikaru then stopped the torture and pointed his gun at the man's head and fired, ending his life. "Aaron Stone huh? Looks like the EU is losing a general today."

He then entered the Reaper Omega and transformed into the High-Speed Mode.

"Lelouch, go to the house. Get Milly and the others. And then enter the jet. I will return within 5 hours, then we leave. Leila, Anna, if you want to leave and stay with us in Japan, you can come too. I will make sure that your families and you are safe from all threats. But think before you decide."

He then disappeared from view as the Reaper Omega ran at high speeds towards the HQ of the military. The pilot attacked anything that stopped him, resulting in a trail of destruction of Knightmares, VTOL gunships and military vehicles. It proceeded to jump high into the air, using its Slash Harkens as support and jumping onto the roof of buildings. The Reaper then ran, jumping between rooftops while slashing with its scythe at any obstacles. The pilot smirked ferally as his target came into view. 'Aaron Stone, I will BREAK YOU. DESTROY YOU!'

As the HQ's security systems activated and bullets were fired at him, this shield blocked them all. Thick metal walls started to rise around the entrance. The Reaper then used its scythe at full power, throwing it as electricity arced around the blade. The scythe cut straight through the walls, which were then blown apart by a bunch of missiles. The Reaper burst through the walls into the main building as the Shinigami shouted, "WHERE IS AARON STONE?!" His voice sounded feral and demonic as he growled. A barrage of gunfire shifted his attention as he looked at the direction. A man was standing atop a vehicle, which had many weapons installed in it. 'Looks almost like a fully armed and armoured G-1,' the blue haired pilot noted. The man was wearing the standard military uniform and had brown hair with green eyes. "I hear that someone has been asking for me. Who might you be?"

"Tell me. Was it you who ordered the attack in the black, red and white combination customised Mitsubishi Eclipse with the intent to kill everyone who was in the car, with the only reason being that car was similar to the one that was seen being used by Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon? I want the real answer."

"Yes. I intended to kill Hikaru Alaina and make it look like an accident."

"Then you picked the wrong guy. That car belonged to a civilian."

Hikaru stepped out of the cockpit as the Reaper's shield protected him. "Aaron Stone, I, Hikaru Alaina, challenge you to a duel. If you accept, then I will go forward with the rules. If you do not, then I will slaughter you and anyone who stands in my way."

 **4 hours 30 minutes later**

"Hikaru!" Anna shouted in relief as the Reaper showed up, no obvious damage on it. The said teenager stepped out, only to be hugged tightly by Leila. Tears ran down her face before she slapped him. Hard. "Don't do something like that again!" He hugged her back after being knocked out of his stupor. However, he didn't let go of her for a long time. 'I remember everything. Geass, Wyverns… everything.'

 **Flashback(Hikaru POV)**

 _I fell down again, reeling back from the hit. 'Okay, that hurt. But why is he this strong and fast? This guy is faster and stronger than me, and I am not wearing any weights or anything. The clothes I am wearing are extremely slight but what is happening?'_

 _My opponent jumped towards me as I defended again from the hits. At an instant, I caught a glimpse at his eyes. His right eye seemed to be glowing with a red sigil in his eyes, shaped like a bird. My head felt like it burst open as a rush of memories assailed me, making my eyes widen as they started to change color along with his hair._

 _Many faces, which I didn't even know, started to appear in my mind, faces I didn't even remember. 'What the hell is this? Who are these people?'_

 _Then suddenly, Leila and Anna appeared in my mind, along with the others, as the Student Council were posing for a photo, along with a red haired girl, a white haired boy and a brown haired boy. I seemed to be taking the photo as I was seeing the group. Then the picture shifted to show Lelouch in a strange costume, a mask in his hand as Kallen wore a black jacket and shorts with a strange insignia on them. 'Lelouch as Zero… Kallen as the Black Knights' Ace… but what is this? All of them look to be older.'_

 _Suddenly another group of images appeared that made his eyes widen in fear._

 _The Wyverns were all lying on the ground, stabbed and bleeding out. A few were still alive, but were suffering in their last moments. A few people were standing behind them, weapons in their hands. I felt my own voice scream the name of the one in the lead. "SUZAKU!" I rushed towards them, only to feel my own injuries down me to the ground and slowly die._

 _A strong blow to my chest jerked me out of my thoughts. Aaron Stone was grinning madly as I hit him with a strong punch to the torso._

' _I remember everything. Wyverns, Geass, Zero, Black Knights, Student Council, Knights of the Rounds, Thought Elevator, Kaminejima, SAZ, everything.'_

 _I drew my katana in retaliation to his combat knife, blocking his attack. Both us parried each other's attacks and suddenly, I activated my Geass, feeling the familiar rush of power through my body as my body adapted itself to the changes. 'Now I remember why I moved so fast during the Legion test. It was my Geass trying to break free. Then, I will become the Black Dragon once again. The true Black Dragon.'_

 _I then slashed and stabbed in an instant, decapitating the EU General. As many gasps and screams were heard, I flicked the blood of my katana and then looked at the General of the Army._

" _General Smilas, I believe that you are rational enough to see the results of the foolish actions of your subordinate. Hear me clearly. I am Hikaru Alaina, the Shinigami, the Black Dragon. Now, in exchange for the gift of your life and the lives of everyone in here, I will leave. My demands are that I be appointed the Britannian ambassador for military negotiations and other such matters. And from next time, whenever I arrive in anywhere in the EU, I will have free reign to go anywhere. Permission to visit all locations, just like the EU citizens. And I will have permission to carry my weapons and Knightmare with me too. And the people who were seen with me, they will not be harmed by anyone in the EU." My voice took a cold tone as I spoke my next words. "If I find otherwise, you will know why I am known as the Shinigami before the Black Dragon."_

 _I then left with the Reaper, none blocking my way._

 _I entered the Reaper and went straight to the ghetto, parking my Knightmare outside as I sat down on the ground beside the fence, rather than the bench which was next to my spot._

 _I heard a sound of shifting before me and looked over to see a blue-haired teen with blue eyes standing before me, holding his hand out._

' _Akito… Akito Hyuga.' I recognized with a sad smile as he looked at me._

" _You are a Britannian right? What are you doing out here?"_

 _I didn't answer for a few seconds. "I am just taking a break. I have too much going on with my life."_

" _Your eyes… you lost someone close to you." "Hah… yeah. I did. I lost many of my family and I could do nothing but watch as they died. And now, it feels like a dream. Just like a dream of the future."_

" _Well, I hope you don't have to go through that. The feeling of losing your family is too hard to cope with."_

 _I looked at Akito as he sat beside me. "Not sitting on the bench?"_

" _I could ask the same." "Touche."_

 _I spent the better part of 3 hours talking with Akito, discussing about random things._

" _You know, you seem really strong."_

" _Maybe." I looked at my katana. "Katana?"_

" _My mother's. My sensei gave it to me when I was leaving Japan at 10 years. I practised with it when I had free time."_

" _Looks unique."_

 _A small beep of my watch made me sigh. "I really wanted to talk a bit more."_

 _I then stood up, being helped by Akito. On the spur of the moment, I took the katana and handed it to Akito. "What is this?"_

" _Keep it. I feel that it will be of more help to you than to me." I then walked towards the Reaper with a small smile on my face._

" _Wait!" "Keep it. Like I said, I think it will help you more than it will be me. Keep it and if we ever cross paths again, give it to me if it doesn't help you. That's all I want. Protect yourself and those you hold dear. I couldn't do that anyways."_

 _The future Ghost of Hannibal stood silent as Hikaru walked to his Knightmare._

" _I will join the military." "The EU military? I hope you go far."_

" _Hey, what's your name?"_

" _My name?"_

" _Yeah."_

" _Hikaru. Hikaru Alaina."_

" _Akito. Hyuga Akito."_

" _Good luck then, Akito."_

" _You don't need it but good luck anyways, Black Dragon Hikaru Alaina. I will treasure this sword."_

 **Flashback end (Third Person POV)**

He let go of her and then looked at Leila and Anna, both of whom were surprised by his sudden change in disposition. "Big brother…"

"Could you wait for some time? I will go and talk to the others." He returned a few minutes later, followed by Lelouch and Nunnally along with their bags.

"I want to stay in Paris for a few more days." "Alright."

They watched as the jet flew took off. Hikaru then entered the Reaper, giving a hand for Leila to take. "I can't pilot this without my co-pilot, can I?"

She entered the cockpit with a smile as he then said, "You guys go ahead to either mine or Anna's house. We are taking a small detour."

The Reaper then took off, going towards the island ghetto. "The ghetto?"

"I just met a friend here. Let's talk while going there."

"Um… okay."

"Leila, I have an idea for your unit. Make a special covert black-ops unit under you command. I think that some more people will be added into the unit. I saw the plans for a stratospheric launcher at Anna's house. Use that along with the Alexander to launch attacks from behind the enemy lines. The pilots will be Japanese. The government will not accept normal citizens for plans like this. I know that you are thinking of rejecting, but don't interrupt me. The base will be Castle Weisswolf. I think you know where it is. And the next, the reason why we're here. The friend I am talking about is a good pilot. Don't ask me how I know. You should personally recruit him into your unit."

"If you say so…"

Hikaru then went to the same spot he had been previously, grinning at seeing Akito at the same spot, examining the katana he had been given.

"Yo, Akito."

The Japanese teen looked over at him in slight surprise. "Hikaru?"

"I brought over a friend of mine, and when you join the military, hopefully, your future commander." He then beckoned Leila over. She bowed to the teen, receiving one in return. Hikaru then walked over to Akito, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Look, Akito. I think I can trust you with this."

"Why do I get the feeling that what you are about to say is extremely crazy?"

"Because it is. I think that I have been sent back in time or I saw a vision which is _really_ long into the future. I saw the time till I was 17, two years from now. And the only thing I can say is that in that future, all of us die. That's what I meant by my family dying. That's why, I want to ask you to protect Leila. That's partly the reason I gave you the katana. And also, your brother, Shin Hyuga Shaing, he tried to kill you only because he believed life was a curse. That's his Geass, a power which I also possess. Mine allows me to control and manipulate lightning and also my physical prowess. The next thing is that you will meet 3 people who will be fellow pilots and a 4th one in the end. You guys will fight in suicidal missions. That's why, I want you to practise in my Knightmare. I will leave a Knightmare of mine at my friend's house. She will allow you to use the simulator and you will practise in that. Please don't ask me why and don't ask me how. Just go with it."

"I don't know… but I will do it. You don't look like you are lying. But my brother, I don't know what I can do about him."

"I understand. Thanks, Akito."

 **2 hours later**

Hikaru then nodded to Akito. "And that's the matter, Anna. He is a friend of mine and I wanted to let him practise in the Reaper or Alexander using the simulators. Can he come here and…?"

"Sure." She replied brightly as she looked at the blue-haired teen.

"Anyway, I'll introduce him to my parents."

"Alright. Where are Lelouch and Nunnally?"

"They are inside."

"Okay."

 **3 days later**

"We're back." Hikaru said, now dressed in the Ashford Academy Uniform, a big stack of paperwork in his hands.

Lelouch and Nunnally walked in, the elder carrying a stack of paperwork while Nunnally had a box in her lap.

"You enjoyed Paris?"

"Of course. My parents loved the souvenirs I bought for them." "Good." 'At least they aren't harmed.'

Hikaru sat down on a chair and then got to work.

He pushed the stack towards the Vice President after 10 minutes. "What? I am not doing your paperwork for you." He said in an irritated voice.

"I finished them. You have any more papers to sign?" Hikaru said with a bored tone, making the high-school members look at him in shock.

"What?" He questioned at their looks. "Being a general is not all fights. I have to take care of the paperwork and reports too. That is a lot more complex than the paperwork for a high-school." He then looked at Shirley, who was having a bit of a trouble and then helped her. "Here. Instead of going through everything, read through the parts that I highlighted. Those are the ones that contain the important things. After your approval or denial, I'll pass them through."

"Thanks." He then helped the others in a similar manner before looking at the stack of papers on the table. "These are for the next month, right? The budget for each club?"

"Yeah." Lelouch said as he flipped through the finished reports.

"Lelouch, help me." He said in an ordering tone as he sat at his chair again, a look of boredom on his face.

"Here, Co-Vice President. The finished forms."

"Co-Vice President?"

"Yeah. Madame President said that she would make you the Vice President along with Lelouch." Hikaru sighed as he took his spot and then nodded. "Fine."

 **1 year later**

'Now, I'm 16 and by this time, I think Leila has formed the W-0 unit. However, this guy, Rise, his entry was as planned. He posed a big threat and thus, the Hadron Cannon, Blaze Luminous and Float System were all improved. But at the end, I took him down, because last time, the casualties were too great. And I also successfully prevented Rei and the others' death by making them get their posting in Area 7. And I also have to talk to Leila once in the next few months, after Shinjuku, when I get the Dragoon. If I talk to Anna about it, I think I can get the Dragoon and the Reaper fused, in time for the Knights of the Rounds battles. However, I somehow have to sabotage the Lancelot and Florence so that they will not perform as well in battle. If the traitors die at first, then all the better. Then comes Euphie. Her Knights… I think Rei, Gino, Carter and Sarah will make for good Knights for her. They are reputed too. So they can easily get a good status. However, I will have to make sure that Euphie and Cornelia do not interfere with the Wyverns. The less they become involved, the better. And I need to talk with Zero. The Black Knights should be easy to form an alliance with. And the next thing is Lelouch's Geass. If he overdoes it, he will develop a Runaway. That should be avoided at all costs. And knowing Euphie, she will go forward with her plans anyway. So the Knights of the Rounds can't be avoided. I have to kill them after all.' *Sigh* 'And I have to deal with the Kenshiki Faction and the Circle. But I have a link, Peace Mark. Wizard killed my parents and Bradley caused many people's death so they go obviously. In a few days, I will go to Narita and talk to Tohdoh-sensei. There, I will also discuss the terms of a possible alliance without giving away too much. And the next thing would be to kill those 6 along with Munakata. If I can do that, then the plan is complete. That is all I have planned for now.'

Hikaru then smirked as he looked at Lelouch getting scolded again by Shirley, while the exiled prince brushed it off.

"Lulu! Gambling is back." The amethyst etc teenager looked at him for help and he sniggered. Hikaru walked towards the pair, with his phone opening a random page. 'Lucky that it was something about shopping for Lelouch's birthday.'

"Hey Shirley. What do you think about this?" He interrupted skillfully, saving the Vice President. The other thanked him and then left, going for another match. A few seconds later, Hikaru followed him and entered his car.

The three students reached a building. 'This is going to be fun.' The pilot smirked and then entered the building.

 **5 days later**

Raleigh Tohsaka stood behind her desk, now dressed in a teacher outfit along with a lab coat and glasses.

"Class, we will be having a new transfer student today. Come in."

A girl with black hair and blue eyes walked in gracefully. She bowed slightly to the students and then said, "Hello. I'm Tsurara Sumeragi. It's a pleasure to meet you."

'A Japanese. And she's Kaguya's elder sister.' Lelouch noted as suddenly, someone shouted, "GO BACK TO YOUR GHETTO, YOU WORTHLESS ELEVEN!"

Something sharp was flying towards her at the same moment Hikaru entered the room. "Sorry, teach. I couldn't find my books." As he entered, he saw a girl before Raleigh as something was thrown at her. "T-Tsu-Tsurara?" He muttered weakly in shock as he recognised the object thrown at her.

He suddenly got in front of her while his books fell to the ground as he caught the sharp penknife that was thrown at her. His eyes scanned the room. 'Bingo.' He announced coldly to the class, "Anyone have any similar ideas? Because… you ever try to even touch her and I will _destroy_ you." He turned to the Japanese girl.

"Are you alright, Sumeragi-san?"

"H-hai." She replied meekly, a little shocked and scared at the knife which was in his hand, still pointed at her. 'Okay. Last time, she wasn't there. So this is the second deviation, the first was me being appointed Vice President. But those are just small things.'

"Sumeragi-san, please go and take that seat in the back next to the window, behind Lelouch. He's the one with black hair." Hikaru then turned towards a boy in the front and said, "Jack Wood, I believe that weapons like these are prohibited unless you have a permission from the Principal along with your parents and the Student Council Vice President. I don't remember giving you this permission so I would like to know why you have it and also why you attempted to attack the new student without any valid reason."

"She's an Eleven!"

"And?" He asked coldly. "Ashford Academy is not just for Britannians. Anyone can enter as long as they pass the test. And from her file, she passed with a high score, unlike you. So, I would like to ask you to refrain from attacking her like that."

"Oh yeah? And what will you do, huh?" "I would really like to avoid breaking the bones in the limbs and damage your tendons and ligaments permanently, effectively crippling you." He said it all in a cold and casual voice.

"How dare you threaten a Baron's son!" At that moment, the Grand Duke Valdstein burst out laughing. "You are _just_ a Baron's _son_. I _am the Grand Duke Valdstein._ I believe that you are at a lesser position and currently in danger of facing imprisonment, seeing as you hurt me when you threw that knife. I could easily have you, your family, everyone you know, thrown into prison and all your businesses seized. I can do that simply with a few phone calls. Do you really want me to?" As if to emphasise his point, he took out his phone.

"You bastard! Just you wait! You and your stupid Student Council, always interrupting and interfering in our matters. I will kill you all!" A sharp sound was heard as a consultant knife was lodged deeply into his desk. "Just so you know, I am a General in the army. Even if I wasn't the Grand Duke, my ranking alone puts me above almost all of you in this whole academy. So, if you don't want to die a painful death, I suggest that you refrain from such stupid actions and never try and insult my friends." He then walked towards the desk and took the knife out as splinters of wood fell onto the floor. He then walked to his seat beside Tsurara Sumeragi.

"Ah, I just remembered. You and your friends go to the game parlour at 4th Street, right? FYI, that place is accident-prone. Just be careful while going there. We wouldn't want a few of our students to be hurt in an accident, would we?" His last question was rhetorical as he sat down.

The meaning behind his words was understood clearly by everyone as they looked at him, some in fear and some in awe. The girl beside him muttered a few words I gratitude as he sat down, taking his books. "Alaina, go to the nurse's office and get your wound treated." "No need, teach. I already did it myself."

He then turned to the black haired girl beside him as Raleigh started her class 10 minutes later than usual.

"Sumeragi-san, I can share my books with you if you need. I don't think you haven't purchased all the books yet." "T-thank you."

 **2 hours later**

Hikaru sighed as he was bombarded by many questions. "You are really a general?" "You are the Grand Duke?" He replied each question in a bored tone and then stood up, opening the window. He looked as if he was going to jump. "What are you doing?" "Getting some fresh air, Shirley." He suddenly jumped out of the 1st storey window, without any injuries. The students stared at him in surprise while Lelouch just sighed. Tsurara walked out of the room towards the garden, seeing as there was nothing for her to do. She soon found the Vice President sitting on a tree.

"I can understand Japanese if that is your question. And I can speak it fluently. And the answer for your last question is yes, I am the student of Tohdoh-sensei that saved you from that wolf when you were lost in a forest and the one who took lessons from Shizuka Sumeragi along with her daughter."

She smiled as she heard his words. "Thank you, Hikaru-san, for saving me."

"It's alright." "How is your wound?" "Nah, it's alright. Compared to a bullet in the arm and a sword in the stomach, a small penknife cutting my hand is bearable."

She winced as he told her about his injuries. Suddenly, Hikaru received a call from Lelouch. _"Wood and his lackeys are heading towards you. And the next class is in 10 minutes."_ "Thank you for the info, Vice President. I will come to class directly from the window but I will be a late. Distract Professor Tohsaka for some time. And keep the windows open."

He jumped down from the tree, standing before Tsurara as a group of students walked towards him, each one holding some type of bat. "Tsurara, this is going to get a bit ugly so you go on to class. I will enter directly from the window. Just keep the seat next to you empty and sit a bit away from the window, in my previous seat. And you can take my books from the bag if you need. I will return after I take care of a few idiots."

As the girl looked like she wanted to protest, she was silenced by his cold stare and complied. Hikaru cracked his knuckles as he looked at the group, consisting of about 15 students, led by Jack Wood. "Okay. I will just tell one thing. If you don't want broken limbs, just leave quietly."

 **15 minutes later**

"Damn, dragging them all the way to the nurse's office building is just too tiresome." Hikaru sighed as he looked at the time. He then started to run towards the trees and jumped onto a branch which was in clear view of his classroom. Both Lelouch and Hotaru were looking at him, one with a look of amusement and the other with worry. He ran across the branch before jumping into his room, landing on his bench.

"Alaina, this is the last warning. Make another flashy entrance and you're out."

"Really teach? I remember that you want your students to attend the classes, not caring about how they enter the room. And I was late because some 15 idiots had a bone to pick with me. I had to _convince_ them. That alone took 15 minutes."

Lelouch sweatdropped as he said, "Convince meaning you beat them up while holding back, which took 5 minutes. Seeing as you had to hold back and not use your training, it took more time than it would normally take. And then you dragged each of them to Building 4 and dropped them off at the nurse's office."

A flick on his head was his reply as Hikaru sat down, obviously irritated.

 **The same day after school**

"Tsurara, you know the rules right?"

"Hai. All students should join at the least, one club. However…"

"No one is accepting you, due to various reasons. Including but not limited to you being Japanese, not fitting in, not able to pick them right club, etc."

"Yes." "I will see and talk to Prez about this. I think you will be suitable for this Student Council." "Will you really do that?" "Of course. Anyway, pack your things. We need to buy lot of things today."

 **1 hour later**

Right now, the two students were in the shopping mall, the girl following the young man, staying close to him.

Meanwhile, a group of 4 was spying on them. "Why do I have to be here?"

"Shut it, Lelouch."

"He's just obviously helping her since none of us did it."

"But look, he protected her in homeroom, he shared his books with her, be even saved a spot for her ACS bought lunch for her. He even asked Madame President to allow her into the Council. There's obviously something going on between those two."

'What should I do? I can't tell them that she looks like his dead sister.' Lelouch regretted following them.

 **The next day**

"Okay, spill it, Hikaru. What is your relationship with the new girl?"

Hikaru looked at Rivalz as he asked his question, as the wood cracked slightly from the increased pressure. "What do you mean?" "We saw you at the mall with her. And you went out of your way to help her."

"There is nothing going on between us." "Don't lie." The Black Dragon then narrowed his eyes. 'Should I tell them about my family?'

"Hikaru, tell them the truth. It seems like they won't leave you alone without the truth." 'Lelouch is right.' Hikaru then told them about his family. "Okay, I know that is sad, but…" "Tsurara Sumeragi resembles my sister very much. They look alike and have the same name and birthday. The reason I am helping her is because she is like a sister to me and also because she's an old friend of mine. I was in Japan before the Second Pacific War. I studied under Tohdoh-sensei and under Tsurara's mother, along with her."

A look of realisation crossed their faces as Hikaru stood up. "I'm going to check up on my Knightmare."

 **3 days later**

"Sumeragi, why are you not wearing your gym clothes?" 'Huh? I know for a fact that she bought her gym clothes when we went shopping for her. And she put them in her locker too.'

"Run 50 laps around the ground as punishment!" The P.E. instructor shouted harshly. Hikaru growled in anger. "Damn racist pig." He looked at Lelouch next to him. "The normal punishment is 15 laps, that too when we do it for the third time."

"I know. I'll see what we should do." Hikaru then walked up to the main building, reappearing a few minutes later in his normal uniform. "Alaina, what happened to your uniform?" "I'm sorry, sir. But I forgot my clothes." "That's alright. Don't forg-" "No sir. Though I don't like this, I will just join Sumeragi in the 50 laps." He said in a cold voice as he ran after her. Lelouch smirked as the instructor started to sweat. 'If he wanted to, he could fire him. And the instructor knows that too. Well played, Hikaru. Well played.'

 **2 minutes later**

"What happened to your gym clothes?" "I forgot them." "Don't lie, Tsurara." She looked conflicted for a few seconds before she answered, "Someone spray painted curses on my clothes."

Hikaru growled in anger as he understood what she said. 'Someone is discriminating against her.' "The Student Council can have separate lockers. And I guess your dorm is the same. I will try and arrange something for you. And you are going to accept it, no buts."

As they ran a few more laps, Hikaru noticed Lelouch next to him, struggling to complete the task. "Seriously, Lelouch? You can't complete 10 laps without falling down entirely?"

"S-shut up."

 **The next day**

 **Narita**

 **Base of the Japan Liberation Front**

Kyoshiro Tohdoh entered his room along with the Four Holy Swords. He suddenly put a hand on his katana. "Who is there? Come out."

A small chuckle was heard as the Four Holy Swords stiffened and reached for their weapons.

"You haven't changed, Tohdoh-sensei. I still can't hide from you." Hikaru stepped out of the shadows, now clad in black. It looked as if he materialised from the shadows as they wrapped around him. He stepped out fully and bowed to the LtCol. "Tohdoh-sensei." "Hikaru, why are you here?"

He didn't answer for a few seconds. "I want something." "What is it?" "Munakata Suzuki and his personal squad of six."

"Why do you need him, _Britannian_?" Nagisa Chiba asked, her weapon already drawn. "Nagisa Chiba, it's not a good practice to draw your sword on someone who came in peace. And it wouldn't take me much to kill you all, so don't try anything. Tohdoh-sensei, you know how Tsurara died?" "Your sister?" "The day we left, she was killed, on orders of Munakata, by his squad. I would like to kill them for that purpose. Revenge."

"Why should we believe you, young man?" Ryoga Senba asked, on guard after his words. "I do not have a reason not to. So, I would ask that you talk to General Katase and allow me to have a small conversation with him. Then, I will kill those 7 and leave. If not, I will disappear, then contact the army about the hideout of the JLF and you can have fun fighting them, trying to survive while I kill my targets. The choice is yours."

 **20 minutes later**

"General Katase, I thank you for this opportunity." He drew his katana and then jumped at the 7 men that entered the room, quickly ending their lives.

"You didn't prolong their death?" "They would have shown some sort of recognition when they saw my face before I attacked them. They didn't, which means they don't remember me. That's why, these scum don't deserve my time and my sister doesn't deserve her memory to be tainted by these scum. That's why, I killed them quickly, without any emotions." He then flicked the blood of his blade. "Now, I will just go back. I have my classes to attend to."

"Boy, I didn't get your name."

"Hikaru. Grand Duke Valdstein General Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon, and the Shinigami, at your service."

He then disappeared from view, leaving the occupants stunned.

 **Three months later**

Hikaru sighed as he signed another report. "Man, I'm too tired for this shit." He grumbled to himself. 'Lelouch, I'll get you for this.'

Tsurara and Shirley who sat beside him smiled in amusement. "Hikaru-san, cursing is a bad thing." "You do it then. I have to do both mine and Lelouch's work, along with Rivalz's work too." "If you want to, I can do Rivalz-san's work." "Seriously?" "I do have free time. And we have a deadline."

He suddenly got on his knees and bowed to her.

"Thank you, Megami-sama!"

The two girls laughed at him as he thanked the Sumeragi.

 **The next year**

 **Shinjuku**

"At last, the real thing starts."

He growled as he looked at Suzaku who was on the bench.

'This time, he was not injured that much. Also, Rei has not visited Japan. So, these are the next two deviations.'

He entered the Dragoon and smirked. 'Right now, the Reaper is at a higher spec than the Dragoon. But I should just leave after taking care of a few Sutherlands '

He smirked as his Geass activated, his smirk gaining a feral look.

'Now, the world is going to see the start of a revolution!'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **Hey readers, how did you like the sudden twist? I gave Hikaru a way to correct all his mistakes and protect all those who are dear to him. However, he has to face many deviations, like no Glinda Knights, no Kenshiki Faction and also a slight time lag in technology. Also, the Reaper Omega is more powerful than the Dragoon at this point but once Anna joins his Wyverns unit, it will be improved.**

 **Obviously, Hikaru is protective of Tsurara Sumeragi, because she is almost like his sister. And he is closer to the Student Council members than the previous time, because he knows how the others felt when he just up and left without any warning.**

 **Also, Tsurara Sumeragi is an OC. She looks like an older version of Kaguya Sumeragi with blue eyes.**

 **Next chapter, Hikaru arrives for negotiations with the W-0 unit. And the Lake Kawaguchi incident and Sakuragawa incident will be pushed forward be a few months. Next chapter in the works.**

 **Please review**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	15. Chapter 15

**Back with Chapter 14. Negotiations and fights will be going on in this chapter. The time is about 2 months after Shinjuku. Lake Kawaguchi incident hasn't taken place still. It will be going on while Hikaru is in Paris, specifically during the negotiations. The Wyverns' debut to the public will be at Sakuragawa(Refer to Ch.5). In this, Monica Krushevsky and Suzaku Kururugi will be members but will have far less authority and privileges than the other members. The rules of the Wyverns are the same as before. Euphie's Knights will be selected in this chapter. However, the Knighting Ceremony will not be shown.**

 **That's all for now. Read and Review**

 **Chapter 14**

 **Wyverns**

 **Castle Lubopianco, Europia United**

The Dragoon hovered in the air, having the **Plasma Propulsion Motor Flight Unit** of the Reaper Omega attached to it.

'The **Dragoon Omega** is working good. I need to have Anna look at it. She can do far better work than that sociopath. Seriously, how can Lloyd even live like that?'

He landed gently without any sound. He jumped down from the cockpit, looking at the entrance to the castle, finding only Akito Hyuga at the door.

"Isn't Leila here?" "Commander is inside. Anyway, just for formality, I am Warrant Officer Hyuga Akito, and I will lead you to the meeting room, General Hikaru Alaina. If you would follow me, our men will check you for any weapons."

"Sure. The only weapons I am carrying are this katana and the combat knives strapped to my coat. Along with two guns."

The security personnel checked him for weapons.

As Hikaru walked in the hallways, following Akito, he commented on the interior. "Nice place." "Capt. Clement chose the interior for this place."

"Now that you mention it, the decorations do resemble the ones at Anna's house."

He then entered the door as Akito closed it behind him. "Again for formality, I would like to take your weapons." "Sure. But don't you dare damage that katana. I will break your limbs if you do that." He looked at the people in the room. 'Good. Ashley Ashra is in too. Along with his team.'

He then sat down on the couch, facing Leila Malcal. "Good morning, General Alaina. I hope you had a pleasant time coming here." 'Seriously?' "I do like this place."

"Getting to the business, we would like to discuss the terms of the treaty."

"Straight to the business as usual. I believe you will find the terms of the treaty in this file."

He placed a file on the table. As the blonde girl before him studied the file, he noticed one of the pilots approaching him. "You know, if our commander doesn't agree to the terms, you are our enemy."

"And?" "You don't have any weapons and we outnumber you. So basically, you are our hostage."

Hikaru chuckled as he spoke.

"Leila Malcal, or should I say, Leila Breisgau, Claus Warwick, Sarah Danes, Olivia Reuel, Oscar Hamel, Anna Clement, Hilda Fagan, Chloe Winkel, Takeru Randall, Sophie Randall, Joe Wise, Ferilli Barltrow, Kate Novak, Joe Wise, Hyuga Akito, Sayama Ryo, Naruse Yukiya, Kosaka Ayano, Ashley Ashra and his Ashra Squad… the world will miss you, I guess." He spoke calmly.

Akito immediately tensed at his words but relaxed immediately as he realised the hidden meaning behind his words.

"What do you mean?" "Simple, Major Oscar Hamel, what I mean is that if anyone attacks me, all I have to do is press the button on my watch and everything in this room will be burnt to ashes."

Yukiya was interested and asked, "How?"

"Turn around."

The female kodachi wielding pilot turned around. "What is there to see?" "Ah, I see. You have a flamethrower installed in your Knightmare's mouth. And we are in clear view." "And the genius hacker/explosives expert is correct. Those flames are fueled by sakuradite. So I think we know what happens when I press this button." He immediately got a few weapons leveled at him.

"Can we please drop the weapons and sit and talk, people? Seriously, no one takes a joke." Takeru laughed. "Man, I like this kid."

Yukiya laughed along with him. "Hey Yukiya! He was threatening us!"

"Nope. He was only joking. A sakuradite powered flamethrower will take some time to start and fire. It would be dangerous if it was active all the time. So he needs to input a set of codes before he can activate and fire it. If we can stop him before that, we are safe. And he was smiling the whole time, so he wasn't serious."

Hikaru smirked. "You are correct, Yukiya. Anyway, I came here to form an alliance, not kill you people. So, you can rest assured that no one will be harmed by me."

"Hey kid, what was your name again?" "Hikaru Alaina. I am, as you may be thinking, William Alaina's son."

"You should know this if you really are his son. What car did he use?" "A fully customised white Mitsubishi Eclipse with black and blue tribal full body vinyls. Is there anything else you need to know, ?" "How is he now?"

"He is dead. Technically, he was killed before my eyes when I was 8."

"I'm sorry." "Wait. What about your sister? They had a daughter too." "Tsurara is dead too. She was killed before my eyes when I was 10, in Japan."

The pilots of the W-0 shifted uncomfortably as they thought in unison. 'He's an orphan.'

"Anyway, Commander, are the terms acceptable?"

"I would like all my members to know the terms relating to this unit."

"Go ahead."

"The condition for our unit is, 'All the members of the W-0 unit should join the Wyverns unit. All responsibilities of the actions of the members will be borne by the commander, Hikaru Alaina, only.' That is the only condition related to our unit."

"I refuse. Why should we help him in killing innocent people?"

"Innocent? I didn't think that the 157th Heir to the Kosaka School of Kenjutsu would side with terrorists who attack and kill innocent civilians, regardless of whether they are Japanese or Britannian." Hikaru rebuked her coldly.

"The Wyverns unit is an Anti-Terrorism unit and the only one with the privileges it has. We attack only terrorists. Resistances will be dealt with in different ways. All prisoners will be captured, treated according to international laws and trial-" He was interrupted by his phone ringing. "Cornelia?"

He answered the call. "Cornelia, I'm in the middle of negotiations. What? Kawaguchi?" The green eyed Japanese pilot heard his words and checked his phone. "Some terrorists took over the hotel." Hikaru looked at the clip that was played on the main screen. "Yeah. I'm seeing it. I understand the situation but I can't do an anything from here. The most I can say is negotiate for their demands or try and enter without any warning."

He cut the call. 'The timing is different. No, rather, I was the one who changed it. But Lelouch will be there. He can save them.'

"You aren't going to do anything?" "I can't do anything from here."

 **90 minutes later**

" _You who have power, fear us! You who lack power, seek us! For we, the Black Knights, will judge the world!"_

"Interesting." Hikaru smirked. 'That's Lelouch alright. And the one behind him is Kallen.'

"And there you have the example of a resistance. They helped the public. If we ever capture them, this action will be taken into account when they are trialed."

"So, about the terms?" "It's your decision."

"What happens if we refuse?" " _Will_ you refuse, little sister? I don't think you will but I'll tell you anyways. We continue the war and lots of people die. We may also meet as enemies. We may be forced to kill each other."

"Wait, little sister?"

"Oh, slip of tongue."

"Fine, we accept."

"Good decision." "However, the because procedures will take about a week's time and you may be required to stay here."

"That's fine with me."

"Then, we're good."

"Wait, little sister?!"

"Yes, Ayano. We know each other from childhood and he is like my elder brother. Anna and Akito know him personally too."

 **2 days later**

"Seriously?" "Yeah. All of you should have at least some training in martial arts, to defend yourselves. And our base will be my house, which is away from the general public."

"Like Castle Weisswolf?" "Not exactly but almost."

 **2 hours later**

"And that is your room. You will be monitored 24x7, according to guidelines."

"That's alright. Anyway, you seem to have a question to ask." "A-about my family…"

"I did some research. I found out that your family or rather, your great-grandfather has a dojo and as the heir, it belongs to you. I had to stop the former Viceroy from destroying it by buying it. But it is yours if you want it. The dojo is now currently in the land which I have, planned for our headquarters."

They were interrupted by a sudden explosion which shook the very ground.

Hikaru then ran towards the meeting room. "Follow me." He ordered as he ran, his katana already drawn.

 **5 minutes later**

"Everyone ready?" He asked as he looked at the group. He and Akito were in the front, along with the security personnel and behind them were Ayano, Ryo and Leila. The tech division and medics were in the middle, with the rear being guarded by Ashley and his team along with Yukiya.

He glanced at the Dragoon.

"Will your Knightmare hold out?" "I have more confidence in my Knightmare's specs and power than I have on my own combat prowess."

They immediately ran out of the room in an orderly fashion as suddenly they came across a large group of soldiers dressed in EU military gear. They started firing immediately. Hikaru jumped at them, his Geass protecting him as he started to kill them, one by one. Thuds echoed as the corpses fell to this floor.

"Everyone all right?" He asked as he turned around. "Hikaru, there's blood on your face." Anna replied, little worried, scratch that, extremely worried.

"Not mine. Anyone hurt?" "Ayano is." Hikaru immediately turned to the female pilot, seeing her clutching her stomach. 'Looks like certain scenarios are unavoidable.'

"We will head to the medical room. Once we are there, prepare her for a blood transfusion. She's losing blood and she needs it, fast. Ayano, you are an AB, right?"

 **3 minutes later**

 _'Wait.'_ Akito signaled. _'Enemies in sight. Large group.'_

They waited a few moments before rounding a corner, only to find guns leveled at them. A clicking sound from behind made them turn behind, only to see the same group from before behind them.

The blue haired pilots growled in unison. 'A trap.' "Why did you attack the place? The people here, apart from me, are your comrades." "Hahahaha… they are just bait. You think General Wallace Fall cares about a bunch of lowly Elevens and some good for nothing trash?"

'I didn't want to do this but I have to use my Geass. Thankfully, the people are all I trust or those I trusted previously.'

"Everyone, get down. I don't want you to get hurt." As no movement was heard, he activated his Geass while shouting, "NOW!" A few shots were fired, hitting him. He winced in pain and raised his arms, as lightning started to condense around his hand. He suddenly drew his katana in his left hand while shouting, " **Narukami**!" A strong burst of lightning shot out from his hands, electrocuting the soldiers in the front as he then jumped at the ones at the back, stabbing them with his katana, killing them all. He seemed to move like a blur as he slaughtered everyone who threatened those he cared about.

His katana fell to the ground as his arms went numb. He panted for breath, as the wounds in his body started bleeding. He staggered before catching himself.

"D-damn you. Who the hell are y-your?"

The Britannian General didn't answer anything before he laughed hollowly. "Who knows? I am wearing many masks, the mask of Hikaru Alaina, the Grand Duke, a General, a leader, the Shinigami, the Black Dragon, a killer, a necessary evil, the greatest evil of all, a psychopath, a remorseless killer, a fool, a genius, a weakling, a murderer, a monster, a demon, a symbol, a revolutionary, the bringer of hope, a destroyer, a death-bringer, a reaper, a son, a brother, a soldier, a student, a person, a friend, someone to hate, someone to love, I wore many masks. However, right now, for you, I am a monster and a death-bringer."

A burst of electricity suddenly electrocuted the man on the ground, making him scream in pain before he was silenced as his eyes lost the slight.

He turned around and then said tiredly, "To the medical ward. Move it." He picked up his katana and walked slowly. His arms were now constantly emitting lightning as he suddenly swung his sword at a wall. An arc of lightning cut through the wall and then some screams were heard before he clenched his fist tightly, as thuds echoed in quick succession. "Let's go."

 **10 minutes later**

"That should be enough." He says as he turns around, putting down the syringe. "What did you inject yourself with?"

"Morphine. I know what I am doing. I am going to do an experiment." Hikaru then suddenly stabbed his right arm with his katana and then removed it calmly as the blood started to drip down. "Are you mad?!" Takeru shouted as he rushed towards him.

Hikaru put his arm out to stop him. "It's healing already. But my arm is still numb, though it's slowly receding. I will have to adjust with this." He then walked out the door. Before leaving, he gave his orders. "All noncombatants are to stay here. Ayano, that means you too. Ashra team, you stay here and guard the infirmary. Akito, Ryo, Yukiya, Ashley, we are going to the armoury and get ourselves some weapons. Get ready."

Hikaru then walked out the door, not caring about his wounds, which were still open and still bleeding.

 **30 minutes later**

The Black Dragon coughed some blood from his wounds before gritting his teeth. "Are you alright?" "I'm fine." 'No, you're certainly not.'

'Damn, I had to use my Geass at a larger scale and for a longer time than the previous time. And my body is still not entirely adapted to the usage of Geass, especially because I am more stressed than in the previous life. I know why. I remember everything that happened and I am afraid that any action I take will have consequences. All my actions will somehow result in the deaths of those close to me. That fear is holding me back.'

He then said, "Hey, can you guys go back to the infirmary and then lead the others to the Knightmares? The pilots enter your Knightmares and then guard them while I deal with the enemies."

"What? Alone? You are in condition to do that." "Please, just let me do this. You guys follow me while I deal with them. Once you enter your Knightmare, I will enter the Dragoon. Then I will start killing them all."

 **30 minutes later**

"Okay. We are done."

"What about you, Hikaru?"

"Me? I will go towards my Dragoon Omega."

"Then, I will send Akito as backup."

"No. I will go alone. As of now, your standing orders till I make contact with you are to stand by on guard and eliminate any hostile forces. Akito, take point. Ryo, Ashley, along with Akito. Yukiya, cover the members. Ashra squad, all of you are on look-out and cover for the lead Knightmares. Once the enemies get in close, use your GLoucesters and eliminate them."

"Wait, Hikaru. Take this." Anna gave him a Knightmare's activation key which was shaped like a black dragon with blue eyes. "What's this?"

"Your Alexander. The one I made at the beginning with the materials of the Reaper."

"You still have it?"

"Of course." She pressed the activation button and a rumbling sound was heard as a pitch-black Knightmare with blue lines on it started to come into view.

"The **Alexander Gardien** is ready for your use. I made it using Akito's Alexander Liberté's specs and data along with the data from your Reaper and the data I gathered from the Dragoon when you let me check it."

He looked stunned as he looked at the Knightmare.

"Just promise me one thing. Don't die. Return back to us. I trust you to fulfill that promise."

'Can I promise that? Can I make the same mistake again?'

"Your eyes seem sad and painful somehow, like you are afraid of every decision that you are making, always doubting yourself. I don't know why but you seem like you are afraid like

He stood silent for a few minutes before he took the key, gripping it tightly.

"I promise. I will live and I will return."

He jumped into the Alexander Gardien and then started the Knightmare.

"So that Knightmare that boss was designing was for him." Hilda commented.

"But why does it look so similar to the Liberté and his own Knightmare?"

"I made it from both his own Knightmare and Akito's Liberté, Chloe."

Hikaru started the Knightmare and gripped the controls. Sparks of lightning started to emit from his body as he regained a confident and feral smirk.

"I was wrong. All this time, I was afraid. I forgot the one thing I had built between the Wyverns. Trust. Thank you, Anna. You made me remember what I had forgotten. I will place my trust in you and the Knightmare you built for me."

His voice was being carried through the speakers as he started the systems.

"And thanks for the special system. I can control two Knightmares at once with this. Thanks, Anna."

He sped off, the **High Speed Propulsion Wing System** and the new model Landspinners kicking into gear as they left the others in an explosion of dust. He drew the sword on the back. He activated the secondary controller system as he started the Dragoon remotely, controlling it as it flew up while he swung the katana of the Alexander at a few Knightmares.

"You scum! How dare you try to hurt those I care about! For that sin, the punishment you face is DEATH!"

He activated the flight system of the Gardien, which made the wings appear from the back of the cockpit. 'The sheath of the katana is the one which is used to support the float system.' He laughed at the irony as he looked at the wings. ' **Ailes d'anges** , wings of an angel. I don't know whether I should laugh or cry. She thinks I am a guardian angel. Well, I think I have to live up to her image then.'

He started firing energy blasts from the wings as the Dragoon appeared beside him.

He started to cough a bit and then activated his Geass again, making lightning crackle around him as he then flew at the Knightmares again as the Dragoon followed him.

'Hmm… I think I have to change the name. And this form is more suited for my battle style than the Dragoon, so I am changing my Knightmare.'

He then contacted Leila. "Leila, the command center of the EU is a vehicle similar to the G-1, correct?"

" _Yes. Why?"_ "I think I have found it and now, I plan on demolishing it with the Dragoon."

The Dragoon then flew forward, its claws turning to blue as it slashed with its claws repeatedly, cutting into the hull of the command vehicle.

"Wallace Fall, come out. Or else you die." His threat was emphasised by the Dragoon aiming its flamethrower at the face of the black-haired man sitting on a chair.

 **10 minutes later**

The W-0 had a relieved look on their face, seeing their new leader safe.

He looked at the group before turning back to the captive.

He pointed his gun at the man's shoulder. "Now, would you please tell me why you attacked?"

No answer.

He sighed as he holstered his gun before dislocating and breaking his shoulder and arm. "I will keep doing this until you give me the answer I want."

 **10 minutes later**

Wallace Fall lay on the ground, his body broken. "Is that all?" A cold voice asked.

"Y-y-yes. P-pl-please l-let me g-go." He gasped in pain.

"I can't do that. Like I said, the punishment for your sin is death."

He then pointed a gun at the man's jugular. "W-wait. Hikaru, what are you doing?"

"I won't repeat my mistakes again. I will bear all the sins if I have to." He then pulled the trigger as blood spewed out from the neck.

"Let's go. Our work is finished. We need to have the equipment moved."

 **3 days later**

The Wyverns were all seated around in the main hall of the clubhouse, which was thankfully empty. Hikaru was in the centre and he looked at the ground.

"Now, tell us everything."

"Fine. What you saw back there was my Geass, a type of supernatural power. It is obtained by forming a contract with an immortal individual known as a Code-Bearer. My Geass allows me to control lightning and also enhance my body. Physically and mentally. And also slight modification, like changing the color of my hair and eyes. I think that I have the ability to see into the future or I was sent back in time. In the future, or futures I should say, all of you died and then I was killed too. At that point, at my death, I was sent back in time. I only remembered this when I was in Paris. After the attack, I attacked the HQ and confronted Aaron Stone. He had a Geass too. What it was, I don't know and I don't care. When I saw the sigil of Geass in his eyes, I remembered everything. That's why I started making plans and also when I started to change."

He then stared at his hands. "That was also when I became merciless against my enemies. It became a way of dealing with the pain and fear I felt each time I looked at those close to me."

"Sigil?" Akito questioned.

"This." A sigil of a bird appeared in his hands, made of crackling blue lightning, and disappeared.

"How can you know that it won't harm you?"

"Who said that? At the castle, when I used Narukami, the amount of lightning passing through my arm made it numb. And the second after, I used it again and almost passed out, while my arms were almost numb. And if I use my Geass for extended periods of time over longer ranges or at higher power, especially when my body still isn't adapted to its power, it could harm me. It isn't without its dangers."

"Why did you put yourself at risk?"

"Seriously Leila? You are seriously asking me that question?"

"Yes."

"Fine. My first reason is the past or rather, the previous future. I couldn't protect you, any of you, back then. I at least wanted to protect you now. Secondly, you are my subordinates and naturally, I have to protect my subordinates. Thirdly, to protect my family." 'And lastly, to protect my own sanity.'

He deactivated his Geass as he heard the next question. "Do I have a Geass?"

"Yes, Leila. You have one. It's the same as mine, as in, the sigil is the same as mine, blue. While it normally is red. I do think its ability is extremely dangerous to other Geass users, if I am correct."

"What do you think it is?"

"One, either the ability to seal off or undo someone's Geass. Two, the power to protect someone from Geass, especially someone you care about. Both of them are equally possible. Or else, its equally possible that you have both the powers."

The blonde was quiet after that as he continued, "However, it activates only when either you or someone you love is in danger. It is both similar to and different from mine."

"How can you activate it so easily?"

"What do you mean, Kate?"

"The amount of power readings given off when you use your ability is abnormally high. How can you activate it instantaneously?"

"That's the catch. Use a Geass for long enough and it becomes permanent. Mine is not consciously harmful so its safe. Imagine, you have a power to order. Any word you utter can become an order. Hell, if I had that power and ordered you to kill someone, even as a joke, you would do it. That's why, Geass is dangerous. With power, not only do you have to use it

accordingly and take responsibilities for your actions and the consequences that come with it. That is the one thing dangerous about Geass. Most people are overwhelmed by the power and the consequences of that power and become insane."

"Are there any changes to your body when you use your Geass?"

"Nothing dangerous. My hair becomes a bit spiked from the lightning discharge and my eyes change to their true heterochromic colour, blue with yellow. That is the only change I noticed."

"One more thing." Takeru Randall interrupted. "You become highly resistant to drugs. However, you also become hypersensitive."

"I know. Each time I punch someone, pain shoots up my hand. Each bullet I get hit with hurts like a bitch. And each person I kill, the regret tries to overwhelm me. My Geass messes with my body and my mind, you could say."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

He smirked as he heard the words.

"Dangerous? Maybe. But I have to. This is my blessing and my curse. However, I have help."

"Help?"

He then showed the locket he was wearing. It was a black dragon with blue eyes. A blue Geass sigil was on it and it seemed to be glowing. "My Code-Bearer contractor gave his Code to me in the form of this locket. He transferred it to keep me safe. It is like I will be safe when I use my Geass. The backlash is greater but the Code partially reduces the damage. That is why I am still alive."

"Hikaru, use your Geass on me."

He looked at the ace like he was stupid. "Are you a goddamn idiot?!"

"No, I'm perfectly sane. Just do it."

He relented after some pestering. "Fine."

He held Akito's hand as if he was shaking it and then activated his Geass. Akito shook for a bit before his eyes were surrounded by a blue ring.

"Looks like the experiment was a waste."

"Experiment?"

"I thought that maybe a shock would jog my memories but nope. Hey, did you do something? My heart feels lighter, as if a burden has been lifted off my shoulders."

Hikaru looked to be shaking as he muttered something. Akito's eyes widened as he heard the words. 'Japanese?'

"Die… DIE!" He was caught by Akito, preventing him from moving.

"What happened?" Leila asked as he screamed in agony. "My brother. When he used his Geass on me, he subconsciously planted a command in me. That was why my brain readings suddenly went off the charts. Anyway, Hikaru may have mistakenly taken the Geass from me to himself."

"What will happen to him?" "He becomes suicidal. Or he becomes like me." He said in a grim voice. "But, it seems the conflicting Geass is hurting him from the inside."

"Leila, use your Geass."

"B-but… I can't activate it at will."

"He will die if you don't. Just remember that time when we were attacked. I believe you can do it. If you don't, your brother will die."

As the leader of the Wyverns thrashed in agony, Leila tried to activate her power. Many minutes which felt like hours later, the blue sigil of Geass appeared in her left eye. She looked at his eyes which were surrounded by red rings. As she looked into his eyes, his eyes started to glow blue as her Geass took effect. He stopped his thrashing as the pain subsided. "W-what happened?"

"Geass."

He was helped up by Akito and he muttered a "Thanks" as suddenly, the doors flung open.

"Hikaru, where are you? I need you to help!"

"And here comes the slavedriver." Hikaru muttered as he sighed tiredly.

"What is it, Prez?"

Uncaring of the people surrounding him, she shoved a stack of papers into his hands. "I want that done by today."

"Huh?"

"Anyways, I have to go. Byeee…"

She left the room, skipping happily. 'Hahaha… I don't know who his friends are but work is work.'

Hikaru growled as he looked at the papers in his hand. "Akito, pass me my phone, will you? It's in the shelf on the right."

He took his phone and called Lelouch.

"Lelouch, it's me. Where are you?"

" _I am in the middle of a match."_

Hikaru then took a deep breath as he suddenly shouted into the phone.

"LELOUCH LAMPEROUGE, I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU ARE. GET THE HELL OVER HERE OR GOD HELP ME, I WILL THROW YOU OFF A GODDAMN CLIFF! NOW! I AIN'T DOING YOUR WORK FOR YOU!" He then hung up, muttering something about "Annoying gambling pretty boys" and "Annoying Vice-Presidents".

His subordinates only looked at the scene before them in mild amusement.

 **The next month**

"What? Euphie selected her Knights? And what does it have to do with me?"

"Meet her Knights and you will understand."

"Fine fine." 'She needs to reduce her bossy attitude.'

 **Lake Sakuragawa**

Hikaru arrived at the G-1 along with the pilots of the Wyverns following him. "What's the situation?"

"Same as Kawaguchi, only they are more advanced and disciplined."

"Any victims?"

"None so far."

"That's good, I guess. Leila, what do you think about the situation?"

"The coilgun is an obstacle, and as you say, there's royalty in there. If they find out about her, then she will be in danger. And also, there is also the danger of the terrorists starting to kill the hostages. If we stand here and do nothing, even if they kill them one by one, Princess Euphemia will die anyway."

"I know. If it was you, what would you do to enter the building?"

"Destroy the coilgun. Cut the supports and then race past it into the building. Then we start to eliminate the hostiles in the building while simultaneously rescuing the hostages. Or else, we could just accept their terms."

"Negotiate with terrorists?! Have you gone mad?!" Cornelia almost shouted as Hikaru sighed.

"If you don't want Euphie to die, consider all the options, even if you have to throw away your pride. And don't think about just exchanging Euphie. That will be the stupidest thing to do."

He then got his Knightmare keys. "And what were their demands?"

"You."

"What?!" "You. I don't know how or why but their leader asked you to come. They asked you to surrender to him in exchange for the hostages."

"Wait. Who are we dealing with again?"

"They are calling themselves the Kenshiki Faction."

Hikaru growled. 'Maybe Kei Mikoto was sent back or maybe he knows about me.'

"Anna, are the Dragoon and Alexander Gardien ready?"

"Ah yes."

"Then prep them for launch. Akito, you too. Get ready. We are going to destroy that coilgun. Anna, are the guns ready?"

"Yeah."

"Then please install them for the Gardien. And also install the propulsion wings to both the Knightmares. The float system?"

"The **Ailes d'anges** and the **Ailes liberté** are a go."

He grinned as he turned to Akito. "Then, Akito, get ready to fly. Anna, the Gardien, the Liberté and the Dragoon. I want them all prepped for launch. As fast as you can."

"Understood." She walked away with Hilda and Chloe as Hikaru then turned to the pilots.

"Akito, we will use the **Eclipse** katanas to cut through the coilgun. As for the ball bearings, we will use the **Hadron Cannons** on the shoulder. Then I will use the flamethrower too. We cut through when in range. Once that is done, you will head straight to the hostages. Burst out of the windows and then fly up. Secure the hostages. Ashley, as soon as we launch, you will follow at a distance. Your job is to cover Akito and secure the hostages along with him. All other pilots, once Akito contacts you, proceed to his position and then transport the hostages. I will deal with the hostiles myself. Oh and remember, stay clear of Point Omega."

He activated his Geass as he looked at them, making them understand.

"My lord, are you sure about your choice of pilots?" One of the advisors asked.

"What do you mean?" Hikaru asked in reply as he stared at the man.

"I mean, taking an Eleven… we have better Britannian pilots than th-"

"SHUT UP!" Hikaru shouted as he held the man up by his collar.

"I don't care whether they are _Japanese_ or Britannian or any other race. I trust them! And about those better Britannian pilots?! What the fuck did they even achieve?! They just went up and got themselves killed! Those fools are useless in my eyes! Don't you ever dare compare those scum to _my pilots_ or you will face the wrath of the Black Dragon! Get out of my sight!" He dropped the advisor unceremoniously onto the floor as the others stood watching, stunned and shocked at the outburst of the General.

"Let's go."

They went into the G-2 command center and changed into their pilot suits, which were a modified version of the uniform they wore. The pilot suit remained almost the same, except for the coat which signified their unit. A black dragon with blue eyes was emblazoned on the back of the uniforms of each member.

"On my command, I and Akito will launch. After I give the signal, Yukiya, take out the anti-air weapons and have the G-2 ready to reach Akito's position. My Dragoon will cover you when you escort the hostages. Until that time, the Dragoon will be operated by remote by me. It will help me in taking down the hostiles. I will kill the leader myself. However, it will be a public execution." "Why?"

"That's how the world is, Ayano. The public execution itself will strike fear in the hearts of some. That is what I am aiming for. Sometimes, you have to dirty your hands. I am ready to bear that sin."

He then entered the Gardien as the Dragoon started up.

"Hikaru, Akito, the Hadron Cannons are-"

"They are dangerous. And the flamethrower should be used with utmost caution. Also, the guns are almost like the Hadron Cannons and they fire energy pulses, similar to a **VARIS**. However, the guns are stronger and more advanced than that stupid gun. And they can also fire Hadron shots in spheres, **Hadron Blasters** , which are just a wide-range and faster alternative to the Hadron Cannons. The MVS katana Eclipse will consume higher power when the electricity is charged through it, making the blade turn blacker and thus obtain higher cutting power. The Blaze Luminous will provide the shielding but we will be careful. There are also **Uruna Edge Knives** and wrist mounted Slash Harkens. The Gardien is also equipped with electric cables to attack in tandem with the Slash Harkens. And the **Ailes Float System** is not to be hit as it may damage the energy frame and flight capability may be lost. The High Speed Propulsion Wing System is extremely effective if used at the right moment. The claws on the Gardien are retractable and they function like the Dragoon, only sharper. They can also be coated in electricity. The Liberté however does not have this function, but a kodachi is stored in it as it suits Akito's fighting style better. I think that is all, Anna. We know this, you told us this many times before." She pouted as she heard them repeat her statements word-for-word.

" _Sorry to interrupt but are you two aces ready?"_ Yukiya's voice came through the comms.

"What do you mean, Yukiya? We were born ready. Akito, let's go."

"Roger."

As the countdown sequence started, Hikaru activated his Geass and used the secondary system to activate the Dragoon, using its float system and letting it build up its speed.

" _Alexander Gardien, launch!"_

"Let's go!"

" _Alexander Liberté, launch!"_

Akito launched without any words.

" _Red Ogre, launch!"_

"I was getting tired of waiting!" Ashley launched and raced after the two aces.

 **The underground tunnel**

"I need to let the Dragoon build up speed and power before I destroy the anti-air guns. By that time, Ashley squad will finish their mission and take out the weapons system so we can enter from underwater."

"It's time."

"Yeah."

He activated the Propulsion System along with Akito and sped towards the Raikou linear cannon, katana in hand as the Japanese pilot behind him did the same.

A projectile was launched from it. A moment later, steel ball bearings rushed towards them.

"Hadron Cannon, fire."

Red beams of destruction headed towards the ammo and destroyed them, going forwards to hit the Raikou.

"Oh shit! We used too much power." Hikaru cursed as the Raikou exploded.

The explosion collapsed the ceiling on them.

"Damn it!"

" _Are you guys alright?"_ Ashley's voice came as he destroyed the collapsing rocks with the homing missiles.

"Yeah. We are fine. Akito, change of plans. Fly up to the hostages. Ashley, use the Slash Harken and hold onto the building. The Dragoon will help you up. I will deal with the scum."

 **20 minutes later**

"Hikaru Alaina, I have heard a lot of things about you. And today, you will fall. After you are broken, you will fall, before the eyes of the world."

"Sorry but I didn't plan on dying tonight."

Hikaru disappeared from view as he performed a roundhouse kick, catching the terrorist off-guard as he was thrown to the floor. Hikaru smirked as he continued his beating.

A few minutes later, a very broken terrorist lay on the ground, groaning in pain while his assailant stood over him.

" _Hikaru, I am securing the hostages."_

"Good work, Akito. I am finished with my work anyways. The press are covering this event so I will give the world a show to look forward to."

 **10 minutes later**

Hikaru dragged Kei Mikoto to the edge of the roof and sure enough, the cameras were focused on him. He pointed a gun at the terrorist's head. Suddenly, the terrorist laughed maniacally as he pressed a button.

Nothing happened for a few moments before Yukiya cursed. _"Damn it! Hikaru, a big container is falling. It contains liquid sakuradite!"_

"Understood." _"And we already tried to make it explode prematurely by firing at it. But nothing will stop it, even a Hadron blast from my rifle."_

"Don't worry. I have a plan."

He inputted a few commands on his watch and watched as the Dragoon sped towards the falling container. 'How the hell did he even get this amount? It can easily decimate half of the Tokyo Settlement and almost the full settlement if used properly.'

" _What are you doing? Nothing can stop it, not even your Dragoon."_

"Who said I was planning on stopping it? Anyway, get the G-2 onto the roof and land it. It will not be able to maintain its altitude without support. Tell the flyers to land on the roof too. Ashra squad, move away from the building. Full speed. Immediately."

The Alexander Gardien landed on the ground, followed by the others as he counted down from 25. "25… 24… 23… 22… 21… 20… 19… 18… 17… 16… 15… 14… 13… 12… 11…" With each passing moment, the container got closer and closer and the Dragoon accelerated higher and higher. "10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4…" At this moment, the Dragoon was but a blur as Hikaru typed a few more commands on the holographic screen.

"3… 2… 1… BOOM!"

A resounding boom echoed across the whole area as the Dragoon exploded the moment it reached the container, taking the sakuradite with it. The harsh winds whipped his hair around as he stood his ground, not even fazed. The camera was still focused on him as his face suddenly gained a demented smirk and he started to speak.

The ground shook from the force as cracks started to appear in the building. "Your plan failed, Kei Mikoto." As he pulled the trigger, another click of a button was heard as the building foundation exploded in a pink sphere of light. The dead body of the terrorist fell to the ground, forgotten, as the roof started to collapse. The G-2 moved underneath him as all the Knightmares stood on top of the G-2. He landed atop the G-2. standing calmly as the Gardien hovered above him, its black wings making it look like a fallen angel.

As the G-2 hovered in the air, many people screamed in fear as the building started to collapse. The dust raised was still for a few moments before it started to clear.

The people could see a few things and looked at the scene before them in awe.

Hikaru was standing on the bow of the floating battleship. 'Hmm… two bow-mounted Hadron Cannons, 8 Hyper-Velocity Cannons, two 80-Cell Missile Launchers and 22 CIWS of 30mm, along with a multispectral sensor system, the Blaze Luminous and a Float System. The G-2 is a handful. But it will be our command ship. What should be the name of it? Hmm… ah, I got it.' The battleship was black in colour with blue streaks. The front of the ship was blue in colour, which bore the symbol of the Wyverns, as the Knightmares stood on the top of the airship, while the Gardien hovered above them, a gun in each hand along with a katana visible on its back.

As the people started talking again, many of them seemed distressed to know about the fate of the hostages, who were supposedly killed in the collapse.

"People, rest assured and calm yourself. All the hostages have been rescued and are in safe hands. I am General Hikaru Alaina of the Holy Britannian Empire and the only leader of the anti-terrorism unit and the only unit of its kind, the Wyverns! I take this opportunity to present to you, the brave souls who risked themselves to save the proud citizens of our empire!" As if on cue, the search lights of the G-2 flooded their eyes, making them spot 6 individuals dressed in black and blue along with another group of 6 standing behind them. "The men and women you see before you today are the brave soldiers who fought for the people, for the glory of our empire. The safety of the captured hostages was possible only through their actions." A clip of the hostages was then projected as they were huddled together, scared but obviously safe.

"Today, you witnessed the fall of the Kenshiki, another faction which tried to foolishly rebel against us and was quelled without mercy. From today, from this night onwards, we, the Wyverns, start our hunt. All those who resort to petty terrorism, they will fall before us as they know our might. The cowards who hide behind their walls and buildings, listen to my words and listen carefully. The time of your death has come. You who have resorted to terrorism, hurting the innocent, not having the courage to face us, you will be judged by the Reaper of Britannia. Live your remaining days in fear, because he won't show any mercy. The Lucifer will be our chariot, the dragon that lays waste to all those who oppose us. Prepare yourself, all the cowards who oppose the Holy Empire of Britannia.

Those who abuse power, fear us! Those who lack power, seek us! We, the Wyverns, will pass divine retribution!"

As the whole of Japan looked at the broadcast, his eyes filled with determination as the Gardien fired a few shots into the air, which exploded and gave shape to the symbol of the Wyverns.

 **The next day**

"He looked so cool, right?"

"Of course! He looked so cool, I mean, standing before those Knightmares!"

Hikaru sighed as the students, mainly the female half, gossiped about him.

"Looks like you have fans, _General_." He stood up, gulping as their eyes followed him. "Why the hell did I not bring the Gardien?" He asked rhetorically.

"Maybe because it would attract a lot of attention, leader." Anna answered as she walked beside him.

"But, seriously, there were cartons filled with fan letters, both at my office and at my locker."

"You have to deal with it." He went to his locker and opened it, taking his books. "But anyway, why join Ashford?"

"Huh?" "For your skills, you could join any other academy or university. Why Ashford?"

"My friends are here, of course."

He sighed at her answer as her two subordinates joined them. He then went to the clubhouse and sat at his seat near the window.

"Hikaru." "Kallen." He nodded at her in greeting. "Can you help me in the paperwork? I am still new to this."

"Alright."

 **20 minutes later**

The pilots of the Wyverns entered the Student Council room, finding only Hikaru and Kallen there.

"Man, the others are missing out on the fun!"

"Ashley, let them. If they want to come, they'll come. Besides, it's their decision." Hikaru said as he signed a few more papers.

"But seriously, Hikaru, don't ever let that president of yours enter the base. I shudder to think what she will do." Akito said.

"Point taken, BGen Hyuga."

"Shut it." "Anyway, why did you promote us all like that?"

"You deserved more than the ranks you had previously. And I gave you your ranks based on your skills, Col. Kosaka."

"Why is Akito at a higher position than me?"

"Ashley, beat him in a full-out battle. Or more specifically, your promotion rests on the results of your battle against BGen Hyuga, ."

"Quiet! I can't focus on the paperwork!" Leila shouted at them, making them shut up.

"Yes, LtGen Breisgau."

 **2 weeks later**

"Kallen, we need to talk. In private."

"U-um alright."

As they entered the empty ball room, he said, "Kallen, your mother is using Refrain, is she not?"

"What do you mean? Why would she-"

"Kallen _Kouzuki_ , does your mother use Refrain? I am asking so that I can help her."

"Y-yes."

"You know that the punishment for use of such drugs is 20 years, right?"

"I know!"

"That's why I am offering you an opportunity. Have her sign this. As quickly as possible."

"What is this?" She looked at the form. "An employment contract?"

"If she signs that, she is my employee and I can get her sentence reduced, maybe house arrest or just surveillance. The only reason she is sentenced 20 years is because she is Japanese. I can just change that."

 **2 months later**

"Are you sure about this, Cornelia? Narita?"

"Yes. I am confident that their base is in Narita."

"Then you should proceed. However, I am going to the northern part to deal with the terrorist groups is Hokkaido and then go to Osaka."

"I would have liked your assistance but anyways, good luck."

He turned around and exited the room, followed by Leila and Akito.

'Lelouch will attack at Narita. That's for sure. I can't stop that. I don't know what will result from that deviation. However, I can stop Shirley's father from dying.'

He called Shirley. "Shirley, it's me. Listen, can you talk to your parents real quick and ask your father if he'd be willing to meet me? I need to discuss about something with him… Thanks. I'll call you later."

 **1 week later**

 **Black Knights base**

"Kallen, the Guren is yours."

"But Zero, you are our commander. The Guren will keep you safe."  
"The **Guren** can bring out your strength. That strength is necessary for the liberation of Japan. I will use a Burai."

"Hai, Zero."

 **Wyverns airship Lucifer**

Hikaru stood on the bridge, watching as the staff operated the command airship.

"Wyverns, today, our objective is Narita. The forces under Cornelia are launching a full-scale assault on the JLF, as there are reports that their base is at Narita, hidden in the mountains. We did perform a perimeter check but if something did slip in, we will be in trouble. So, the pilots, listen carefully. I am delegating your jobs." The pilots stiffened at his words.

"Akito, Ayano, Ryo, Yukiya, Ashley, you will deploy into the mountains along with me. Our job is to take care of anything that's not belonging to our forces. Show no mercy to them, because they won't. Ashra Squad, your job is to evacuate the civilians. There shouldn't be any innocents caught up in our battles. Franz, I am appointing you as the leader for this task. Lucifer will also help. If needed, the civilians will be evacuated in the Lucifer. Once that job is finished, you can enter the battle." "Leader, we are at the Narita base."

"Good. Well, what are you waiting for? Go get ready." As all the members scrambled to their duties, he said, "And, on a side note, Lucifer, get the Hadron Cannons ready to fire at all moments. If anythings is going to happen, I will inform you."

"Roger."

They knew to follow orders. "Alright. Stay on comms at all times."

 **30 minutes later**

"Sir, we have to request, please leave. This is a danger zone." Franz said from his Gloucester.

'Damn, these civilians… can't they follow the orders of the military for once.?'

 **Mountains of Narita**

"Alexander Gardien, launching."

"Alexander Liberté, launching."

"Alexander Red Ogre, launching!"

"Alexander Valiant, launching."

The war had begun and there was no going back.

XXXXXXXXXX

 **And that's a wrap. How do you like the debut of the Wyverns? I made Hikaru reveal his Geass because of another reason which will be explained in the next chapter or in Ch.16.**

 **Now, the war with the JLF has begun at Narita. The Wyverns will play an important part in the war. Also, I have finally introduced Rai from Lost Colours. He will be Tohdoh's student in the JLF. And then he becomes a member of the Black Knights to save Tohdoh.**

 **Please Review**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15 'The War of Narita' is ready. By the time this is published, my exams will have been finished. In this chapter, we will see each of the Wyverns face off against the Four Holy Swords, Rai and Tohdoh. The Black Knights will have more forces than in canon and the Britannian forces damaged by the landslide will be greater in number. So the Britannian forces will be at a handicap.**

 **Anyways, enough of my rambling. Let's get to the action.**

 **Chapter 15**

 **The War of Narita**

Hikaru growled as he dispatched another group of Knightmares.

" _These guys are like pests!"_

" _That's the thing, Ayano. Pe-"_

" _Pests are persistent."_

" _Ayano, Ryo, Yukiya, enough of your rambling. Get to work."_

The three pilots grumbled at Akito's scolding.

The Red Ogre sped forward along with the Gardien as they worked together to cut through the group of Burai, literally.

 **The Narita Mountain Peak**

"Kallen, cut through and create a route for us. Use Penetrating Electrode 3."

"Hai."

Kallen maneuvered the Guren towards the structure in the ground and placed its silver right claw on it.

The power reading for the **Radiant Wave Surger** rose as she charged the power and then pressed the button on the controls as the deadly weapon was activated.

A silence followed as one of them spoke. "Nothing is happening."

As if on cue, the rocks in the mountain and the mountain itself started to crumble.

 **Wyverns unit**

" _H-hey, what is that noise?"_

"What do you mean, Ayano?"

The Wyverns' leader's question was answered as the ground started to shake, before rocks and mud started to fall.

"Landslide! Everyone move!" He fired the Hadron Cannons as the landslide grew nearer and nearer.

The Knightmares behind him dispersed while Akito and Ashley helped him, firing the Hadron Cannon and a flamethrower.

" _We're clear!"_

Immediately, Akito flew away as Hikaru lifted the Red Ogre along with him. The remaining pilots used their Slash Harkens and held on to trees and rocks which were clearly out of the way, now in their High-Speed Mode.

 **Lucifer Bridge**

"Landslide detected!"

"Give me pilot status! Immediately!"

A few seconds later, Anna answered, "All frames are operational and no injuries to the pilots."

"That's a relief."

"Commander, a transmission from the Gardien."

Hikaru's face appeared on the screen, now with a look of extreme seriousness.

" _Anna, analyse the data that Yukiya is sending. And then send me the info about the landslide, its causes, its speed, the force and also the time taken to reach the town. Immediately."_

Receiving their orders, the tech division got to work.

"Leader, the cause seems to be the groundwater reserves in the mountain boiling and superheating, thereby resulting in the destabilisation of the rock and the structure of the mountain. The analysis also seems to be pointing towards the fact that it may be man-made. The force and speed are very high. As for the time, at the current speed, it will take about 100 sec to reach our position."

" _The status of the Hadron?"_

"They will be ready by 110 seconds at least."

" _What about the Blaze Luminous?"_

"It won't hold against the force."

" _I see. Anyways, start the Hadron Cannon and the Blaze Luminous. Full power."_

"Roger."

In only 80 seconds, the Gardien appeared before the Lucifer, its Hadron Cannons and flamethrower charged and ready to fire.

"Look."

As the landslide approached the battleship, Hikaru pushed the buttons on the controls along with firing the Hadron Blasters.

As the weapons of the Gardien were fired, the Lucifer fired its main hyper-velocity cannon and the missile launchers as the arsenal of weapons impacted the landslide. Explosion ensued as the rush of mud and rocks was parted.

'10 seconds more… Damn it, holding the barrage for this long period of time is taxing on the energy. But I need to do it. I have to increase the power.'

The power output rose again as the Gardien used the majority of its power, eventually landing onto the ground, never stopping its barrage.

"Leader, move. The Hadron Cannons are ready to fire."

" _Fire them. At the last instant, I will move."_

"But-"

" _Do it."_

As the red beams of destruction were fired, the Gardien moved to stand on the bow of the Lucifer as the Hadron beams impacted the landslide. The ensuing explosion raised up dust that was visible from far away, leading to many people being momentarily distracted by the cloud of dust.

 **Somewhere on a highway towards Narita**

"Tohdoh-san, we have to hurry!"

"Yes. Something is wrong, like Asahina said." The female member of the Shiseiken **(A/N: Japanese for Four Holy Swords)** said.

As the explosion from the Lucifer's attack rang out, their attention was suddenly shifted to the cloud of dust over Narita.

"A war has started at Narita and there is no going back. We have to hurry." A young silver-haired man with blue eyes said as he looked at the cloud of dust, his eyes narrowing.

"I will perform a final check on the **Gekka Pre-Production Test Type**."

"Sure. Be ready to launch."

"Shouchi **(A/N: Japanese word used for Understood or Roger, commonly used in military and in the anime by Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords.)**." He disappeared into the back of the truck and walked towards a blue Knightmare in the corner, with a left arm shaped like a claw.

 **Lucifer**

The Gardien entered the Lucifer and its pilot exited the cockpit.

"Get me an energy filler. Along with extras for others. And I want the analysis of the data, specifically the cause."

The Lucifer was now on the ground, the landslide before it almost totally obliterated, along with carving a big hole through the mountain.

"Looks like we overdid it, Chloe."

"Nope." Hikaru said as he looked over the reports. "With the hole we created, the landslide will enter the hole and we can safely begin excavation and also evacuation if we want. And we can seal the hole easily."

"But the collateral damage is-"

"It's alright." He interrupted Anna. "We saved many innocent lives today."

"Leader, the Gardien is ready."

"And the reserve energy fillers?"

"They are good to go." "Good. And put the old one in the bag too."

"Old one?" "Oh, I am not going to just throw it away. I will _dispose_ of it in another way."

He then entered the Gardien.

"Leila, suit up. We need you too. Also, Ashra Squad, I need you in the battle too. Quick. Proceed to point Spark 12."

"Roger!"

The black Knightmare frame then disappeared from view, now carrying extra cargo.

 **Wyverns main group**

" _Akito, hold out a little longer. I am coming towards your position. Conserve your energy as long as you can. I will be there in 45 seconds."_

"Get here quick."

The Alexander cut through another group of Burai as they started coming out one after another.

'Who the hell was able to create a landslide? And with what technology?'

" _Akito, where is he now?"_

"Hold out a little longer. Yukiya, cover!" A few shots rang out in reply as the enemy Knightmares started to fall.

 **Tohdoh's group**

"Launch!"

Six Knightmares jumped out of the truck, one Knightmare extremely different from the others. "Our objective is the safety of General Katase and our comrades."

The Knightmares sped up the mountain, using their **Kaiten Yaibatou** to cut through enemy Sutherlands.

 **G-1 Command Center**

The dots on the map started to be replaced by _Lost_ icons as the forces started to fall one by one. Suddenly, black dots on the map started to move up the mountain.

"Is that…"

Hikaru's face suddenly appeared on the screen.

" _Sub-Viceroy Euphemia, requesting permission for wide-range explosive attack."_

There were a few murmurs as the advisors talked among themselves.

" _I have collected energy fillers which were used partially. They belong to my team. We have them replaced to fight at full capacity. My plan is to use this pack of energy fillers and detonate the sakuradite in them when they are near enemies. More specifically, use someone as bait. Or use the fillers itself as bait. Our enemies don't know exactly about our Knightmares. We can use that to our advantage."_

"Are you sure that this plan can work?"

" _If this plan doesn't work, then we will have at least destroyed useless cargo and also eliminated any chances of the enemy refilling their energy by just dropping them carelessly."_

"Then, you are given permission to go ahead with this plan. Majority of our forces are damaged in the landslide or are occupied in battle."

" _Thank you, your highness."_

The transmission ended as they suddenly, a group of dots headed towards Cornelia's troops.

"What is that?!"

Two people who were behind Euphie suddenly spoke up.

"Euphie, we would like to launch."

 **Cornelia's troops**

Knightmares burst out of the trees as they aimed their swords at the Gloucesters.

"What?!" The lead Knightmare intercepted a blow from a sword with its Jousting Lance.

" _Guilford!" "Princess Cornelia, please leave this to us. Proceed to your objective."_

" _You expect me to leave my men?!" "This is a waste of time! All of us are ready to lay down our lives for you! Please leave!"_

Cornelia reluctantly turned around and sped off.

Tohdoh tried to follow her, only to be stopped by Guilford. _"I heard that there was someone among the JLF who had the qualities of both a Knight and a General. Looks like I have a worthy foe."_

" _My sword will cut down all those who come in my way."_

As the two groups fought, four black Gloucesters launched from the G-1, speeding towards their objective.

" _Quick. We have to assist Princess Cornelia's squad."_

" _Understood, Carter. Hopefully, Rei and Sarah will defend Euphie."_

" _They kicked our asses in hand-to-hand, remember?"_

" _Don't remind me of that. Anyway, I hear that Hikaru's unit is here too."_

" _If we meet in the field, we will help him."_

At the same time, the Wyverns on the other side were cutting through enemy forces, racing towards the top of the mountain. The Gardien was being guarded by the Liberte, a pack in its hand.

Suddenly, turrets fired at them. All Knightmares came to a stop as the bullets were blocked by the Blaze Luminous shields.

"Looks like the enemy base is near. And the Burai are more in number too. We will detonate them here."

" _Understood."_

Ayano moved to the side as enemy Knightmares appeared on the scene. Hikaru switched his open channel on and shouted, "Ayano! Here! Take these energy fillers!"

He then threw them almost clumsily to the side, far away from her.

The samurai-like Knightmares immediately sped towards them.

'15… 20… 30… 45… 50… 68… 80… 90… 100… Hmm, looks like no one else is coming.'

" _Ayano, get out of there. I'm taking the shot."_

"Yukiya, don't miss. All forces, raise your shields and anchor your Knightmares."

As the blue shields were raised and the Slash Harkens were fired into the ground, the Knightmare at the rear of the group fired a single shot with its rifle at the pack of energy fillers. Another explosion ensued as the surrounding area was destroyed.

The Wyverns immediately sped off, not waiting for the results.

 **Black Knights forces**

"Grrr… annoying bugs!" Kallen growled as she fought the two Gloucesters along with the other Knightmares.

"You two are extremely annoying!" The Guren fired up its RWS and grabbed the lance of the first Knightmare and destroyed it, using its fork knife to slash through the other Knightmare's lance. _"Oh damn!"_ The two pilots shouted in unison as they moved back.

"Run away now or I won't hold back. You two may die."

Suddenly, a huge explosion caught their attention as the ground shook. "What happened?!"

The black Gloucesters before her fired their Slash Harkens at her. The Guren fired its own Slash Harkens while cutting through the wires and burning them.

She then proceeded to cut off the arms of the Gloucesters while they fired their guns.

A small shield protected its arm as the Guren fired its own grenade launcher, launching a grenade at them.

" _Kallen, the mission is getting off track. Get to Cornelia's Knightmare, now!"_ "Hai, Zero!"

The Guren then grabbed the two Knightmares with its RWS claw, finishing off each Knightmare, not waiting for any explosion as it sped off.

 **5 minutes later**

Hikaru and the Wyverns appeared at a clearing, seeing Guilford and the Royal Guard fighting a group of Knightmares.

'Hmm… Euphie's Knights aren't here. So that means that they engaged another force.'

He then fired a few shots with his gun at the attacking Knightmares.

" _Guilford, we will take care of this. You proceed to Cornelia's position. Immediately."_ The Gloucesters turned around as the Alexanders jumped in, their weapons drawn. _"Thanks, Alaina."_

The black Knightmare then jumped at the opposing Knightmares, its dual guns drawn.

"So, who's gonna be my opponent?"

The blue Knightmare charged at him, its chain-sword in its hand.

" _Wait! What are you doing?!"_

" _Tohdoh-san, you fight these guys and retreat. I will hold them off!"_

Hikaru blocked the blow with his own sword before pushing it back.

"You know, you are either very stupid or very brave. I'm betting on that second one."

" _Shut up."_

"What is your name? I would like to know the name of my opponent, especially a worthy one. I am Hikaru Alaina."

" _Rai! And I will defeat you today, Black Dragon!"_

Suddenly, one of the **Burai Kai** attacked Hikaru's Knightmare.

" _Hikaru, is it really you? Let him go!"_

"Sorry, Tohdoh-sensei. But I can't. Not after Kusakabe. He killed innocent civilians and our pilots as well. The JLF became terrorists the moment they occupied the hotel."

" _Kusakabe's actions don't warr-"_

"Stop being a hypocrite! When one uses an aggressor's methods, he legitimizes them. You have to take responsibility for that. And Kusakabe is supposed to be your comrade! Choose. You can run away, living but leaving your comrades. Or you can fight."

" _Kusakabe is not here to pa-"_

"SHUT UP, Shogo Asahina! I am not talking with you!" Hikaru then fired a single shot at the Burai Kai before shifting his attention back to the blue Knightmare.

"So, Rai, seems like your Knightmare is special. However, I have to crush Tohdoh now. Akito, take over!"

The Liberte immediately switched opponents as suddenly, the Guren burst through the clearing. 'What?! Kallen?!'

The Guren disappeared as fast as it had appeared, not sparing a glance at them. Hikaru then jumped at Tohdoh's Knightmare.

"Tohdoh-sensei, no, Tohdoh, Kusakabe, no matter how much of a fool he was, he was a member of the JLF and he was your comrade. You have to accept responsibility for his actions, seeing as his actions are the actions of the JLF too. Now, as responsibility for that, you are to be eliminated."

Without waiting for response, the Gardien hit the Burai with a particularly strong hit.

" _You weren't like this when you were young! Have you lost your strength and honor and gained arrogance along with your title? The one I am facing is a weakling, not a man with power."_

Hikaru growled as he swung his katana.

"Arrogance? Honor? Strength? Weakling? What do you know about me, Tohdoh?! You haven't experienced the loss and pain I have felt! You never will! Don't talk about me like you know me! I have changed! That kind boy who used to learn lessons with diligence, everything about that boy, his childhood, his kindness, all those things were lost, destroyed! The man I am now, the person I am now, it's due to my experiences! You can never know it, Tohdoh! How it feels to have everything dear to you, the one thing which you would hold on to, the only thing keeping you sane, your most precious thing, if it's lost, that feeling you feel, you can never know that! So don't you DARE talk to me like you know that feeling! You haven't felt a bit of what I had felt! You don't have the right to call me a weakling!"

With each of his word, the Gardien's strikes, speed and power increased, until eventually the Gardien's sword seemed to be a blur.

Ashley jumped over them as he fired a few of his homing missiles, hitting a Burai.

Suddenly, reinforcements appeared in the form of Burais, firing at the group of Alexanders.

Suddenly, another Alexander leading a group of 6 Gloucesters appeared, holding off the massive number of Burai.

Hikaru then activated his wings while piercing Tohdoh's Knightmare with his sword, cutting off its leg. He then kicked it brutally in the chest, sending it crashing into a tree. He then turned to the other Shiseiken.

"Yukiya, go and help the others. I will deal with him."

He then charged at the Burai Kai, the arms poised to punch as he jumped and kicked it in mid-air before giving it an axe-kick, kicking the outdated Knightmare to the ground.

 **Lucifer**

"Something's odd."

"What happened, Hilda?"

"Boss, I have been monitoring Leader's Knightmare. Its movements are far better than the previous ones. However, his mind activity has also increased."

"What is happening?"

"I mean, instead of using the guns, like he used to, he is using kicks and punches. Each punch, which is not even damaging the Gardien itself, is denting the opposite Knightmare. But the Gardien should be dealt at least some damage."

"His anger is increasing." The green-haired medic said.

"Most probably, due to his emotions being out of control, his Geass, I think, is acting on him, and the Knightmare too. So the Gardien is-"

" _Shut your ramblings and get back to work, you idiots!"_ Hikaru's voice was heard as he shouted. _"I can hear everything. I am not anger, I'm just royally pissed off. And the opponents are now royally screwed. Anyway, my state of mind is fine. Now, get back to your work!"_

"L-leader, we are working!"

" _I meant real work! You have the data, right?! Collect it, analyse it, use it to improve the performance of the frames. And the medical team, monitor our brain activity. If there are any oddities in the data, or if someone's immensely stressed or angry or anything, get them out of the battle. On the current scale you are using, my number is 245. For me to be really angry, the number will be around 400 or more. Take a look at the other pilots. We can't take any risks!"_

The transmission ended as he returned to the battle.

"Leader can be scary when he wants to."

 **Wyverns vs JLF**

Hikaru fired the Hadron Cannon at the downed Knightmare only for the blue Knightmare to defend it with its left claw.

" _Senba-san, are you alright?"_

" _Yes."_

The Burai Kai got up after some time before another Burai Kai was thrown into the air, before them.

" _Don't underestimate the Kosaka-ryu kenjutsu!"_ Ayano shouted as she landed, transforming into the High-Speed form to lessen the impact and shot with the gun.

" _Asahina, are you alright?!"_

" _Yeah, Rai. I'm fine."_

"Ayano, move out of the way. I'm going to try something big."

" _Understood."_

Hikaru then swung his katana as he closed in on them, firing the flamethrower at the blue Knightmare before firing the Hadron Cannons at the two Burai.

He then swung at the blue Gekka with the Eclipse, which blocked with the silver claw.

"Got you." Suddenly, electricity coated the blade.

" _Argghhhh!"_

The JLF were caught off-guard by Rai's screams as electricity coursed through the arm before hitting him.

The Red Ogre blocked a strike from Chiba's Knightmare as he smirked.

" _Where are you going, woman? You can't back out of a fight, you know."_ He said rhetorically as he fought with the female member of the Four Holy Swords, his **Heat Saber** clashing with the chain sword.

Hikaru then laughed as he slashed again, this time hitting the right arm. He again let loose a blast of lightning, making the pilot scream again.

" _Hikaru Alaina! Let go of my student!"_

Same person smirked ferally as he then met swords with the Miracle-Maker.

"I don't know what Guilford meant, but I don't care. You are at least able to provide me some entertainment." He became increasingly aggressive as he fought his opponent.

He then suddenly fired a Hadron Blast at the Gekka, which was blocked by a Burai Kai.

" _You! Don't you have any honor?! Attacking a downed opponent! And that too a young boy!"_

He replied coldly, "Blame Tohdoh for that. It was him who said that I had no honor. Then, I will become a demon."

 **2 minutes later**

"Waste of time." Hikaru muttered as he stared at the battered Knightmare before him with a sigh. "You know, I think I should just leave you alone."

He then spoke to his team.

"Wyverns, leave them. I'm getting a bad feeling. Maybe Cornelia's guard is in danger or something."

" _Leader, emergency transmission from the G-1. They are under attack. Unidentified Knightmares approaching."_

"What?! Wyverns, change of plans. Proceed to the G-1! Ashley, stay here."

The pilots of the Wyverns immediately turned, their objectives changed.

They doubled back towards the G-1 while Hikaru stayed there with Ashley. "Ashley, we will stay and take care of them. The others can protect the G-1."

" _Alright."_

The two Knightmares stood back-to-back, their swords drawn.

In a sudden burst of speed, the two Knightmares disappeared.

"Anna, prepare energy fillers for all the Knightmares. Double-capacity of mine. As fast as possible."

" _Alright. Chloe, Hilda, get the energy fillers." "On it, boss."_

Meanwhile, the two Knightmares started cutting up the Burais while the Burai Kais stood back, the pilots catching their breath. The Gekka was in the middle of the five Burai Kais.

Hikaru then turned back to them, shooting a few grenades at them. As the smoke covered the Knightmare from view, the Gardien suddenly appeared before them.

"What do you think you are doing? I thought you would have ejected by now."

" _Don't group us together with you,_ Britannian _! We will not leave our comrades to die."_

"Die, huh? Ashley, come over here and block them for a few moments." He disappeared from view as the Red Ogre started to fight them long-range, firing the flamethrower and missiles, along with heat grenades here and there.

Hikaru then dragged a few Burais, the only ones surviving, which were all disarmed and had their limbs cut off and also had their cockpits damaged, preventing them from ejecting.

Hikaru then aimed his gun at two of them and said in a cold voice, "Then, you are still here. Can you prevent the death of these comrades you speak of?"

He fired the gun, immediately destroying the cockpits and ending the lives of the pilots inside.

"Can you? You couldn't. What about these two?" He pointed his Hadron Cannons at another two.

The Burai Kais tried to break through, only to be stopped by the Red Ogre.

A small explosion made them turn their eyes turn towards the black Knightmare as there were two cockpits less.

"Only ten more left. Hey, how about I make a deal? Save only 1 of your comrades from me and I will leave you alone?" He said in a taunting way.

He aimed his gun at another cockpit before changing the guns into Hadron Blasters. Another press of a button, another death.

" _You bastard!"_ Chiba screamed as she tried to break through. Suddenly, her left arm was slashed off by the heat knife, making her lose her chain-sword.

"What happened? Weren't you going to save your comrades? Wasn't that why you were still staying here?"

He then fired the flamethrower, killing one more. Another weapon, another life. Each attack took a life as the Red Ogre held back all of them.

At the end, only one remained. "Hmm… I haven't used the grenade till now. Oh well, there's always a first time."

The explosion consumed the cockpit.

And at the end, there were none.

"Ashley, get out of the way." _"Are you sure?"_

"Yeah."

As the Red Ogre jumped out of the way, all the Knightmares charged at him.

"You say I am weak?" He laughed at them as he danced around the attacks. "What about you, Kyoshiro Tohdoh, the Miracle-Maker, the Miracle of Itsukishima? You couldn't even protect your comrades from death and you talk about power and honour? Face it, you have lost. The JLF has lost completely today. You lost your base, you lost your men, you lost your leader, your lost your Knightmares. Most of all, you lost your resolve. I don't have any time to waste fighting with someone like you."

He then kicked the Knightmares before turning to Ashley.

"Let's go, Ashley. We don't have time to waste. We will head back to the Lucifer and recharge the energy. And then, we try the earlier trick again."

" _Fine. But this time, I will fire the bomb."_

"Do what you want." He then turned to the Burai and Gekka.

"Meet you again, if you have the courage to at least face me."

The two Knightmares disappeared.

 **Cornelia and her Royal Guard**

The Guren continued her fight against Cornelia and her units while they tried to fight the advanced Knightmare, facing unwinnable odds.

" _Princess Cornelia, we have received reports that the G-1 is being attacked by enemy forces. The Wyverns are heading towards the G-1 to intercept the enemy forces."_

" _What?! What happened to Darlton?"_

" _Darlton and his forces are currently heading towards our position. The G-1 is being currently defended by Princess Euphemia's two Knights."_

" _Two?" "The other two Knights were defeated in battle. However, they are safe and are heading towards the G-1 on foot. Lady Zukari and Lady Allerston are fighting the enemy forces."_

" _Weinberg and Gregan… I will skin them alive!"_

Suddenly, they received a transmission from the leader of the Wyverns.

" _Cornelia, the majority of my forces have arrived at the G-1. Tell the G-1 to brace for an impact. I am using a bomb."_

" _A bomb?!" "The bomb which exploded at the top of the mountain. Don't worry, my forces will keep the G-1 and Euphemia safe."_

" _If she gets hurt, you will not live!"_

" _I know."_

Suddenly, a few more Gloucesters and Sutherlands appeared. _"Milady, General Darlton, here with a few reinforcements."_ A few moments later, a hole was blasted through the valley as the Lancelot burst through.

 **Lucifer**

"Lucifer, get ready for flight. We may need to take the Lucifer into the fight too, if things go worse. We will use the Hadron Cannons if necessary, along with the Slash Harkens."

"Understood."

The Gardien and Red Ogre sped towards the G-1, the Red Ogre carrying a pack in its hands. The Lucifer then started to take off, moving towards the G-1.

 **G-1 base**

"Ayano, to your left."

" _Thanks."_

The Wyverns fought together to fend off the enemy Knightmares, which consisted of a machine similar to the Guren, only it had a normal manipulator hand, a black faceplate and a silver cockpit and upper chest.

" _Is this the Black Knights? That red machine looks like the same."_

"No. The weapons, performance and appearance, all look different." Hikaru's voice cut in as the Red Ogre slid before them, throwing them a pack.

" _Exchange those energy fillers. They are double-capacity so the Knightmares will work better. If you have to eject, tell Hikaru. He will then use the Knightmare as a bomb."_

" _Uh… understood."_

As the Knightmares of the Wyverns exchanged their energy fillers, Hikaru dropped two men off at the G-1. They ran inside the G-1, returning with black Gloucesters.

"You four idiots, if you can fight and win, fight or if you don't even think you can fight properly, get inside the G-1 and protect the princess, maybe help her evacuate. You will only be in our way." He said harshly as he slashed another few Knightmares. The four Knights winced at the reminder and they continued fighting.

A few minutes later, one of the Gloucesters ejected. 'Those idiots!'

The black Gloucesters lay useless on the ground as Hikaru barked, "Don't get another Knightmare. Just go to the top with Princess Euphemia. Once the Lucifer arrives, get her to the ship. Franz, Simon, guard the Princess."

He then fired his guns at the opposing red Knightmares. "Everyone, they don't have the clawed weapon the one we faced had. So you can get in up close and take them out. Just be careful. If you eject, give me a warning."

" _Sir, yes sir!"_

 **5 minutes later**

"Rene, eject."

The red-haired pilot ejected and the cockpit was caught by Leila before the pilot exited the cockpit with a gun in hand.

" _Proceeding to G-1."_

"Quick."

Suddenly, the Knightmares surrounding the discarded Gloucester were destroyed by an explosion, taking a good amount of them.

He then threw the pack of energy fillers at a group of Knightmares near Ayano.

"Ayano, take these energy fillers!"

He threw them far away from her on purpose towards the group of attacking Knightmares.

" _Hey, that guy dropped energy fillers there. Take them!"_ As one, the mass of red Knightmares sped towards the pack of energy fillers. Hikaru then lifted Ashley up into the air and gave him the signal.

"Ashley, do your thing. If you miss, I am dropping you from here and not letting you go near a Knightmare or a simulator for 3 months!"

He could almost imagine the red-haired pilot shudder at the thought as he fired the **Judgement Mk II** linear assault rifle at the pack.

A giant explosion consumed the group of red Knightmares as the sakuradite exploded.

The explosion left a big crater in the ground which destroyed a majority of the Knightmares. At the same time, the Lucifer appeared over the G-1 and Sarah and Olivia dropped down with Alexanders.

Hikaru smirked in victory as he took his own gun and then fired at the remaining group of Knightmares, while the Wyverns took care of the other Knightmares from the ground.

He then landed, dropping Ashley before he drew his sword. He then disappeared in short bursts of speed, using his katana to cut Knightmares into pieces while using the wrist Slash-Harkens.

"Ashley, give me the **Heat Cylinders**."

He then caught the two cylinder like objects thrown at his Knightmare and then used the Propulsion Wings, gripping the two weapons in his arms as he used the Slash Harkens to maneuver as it looked like he was barely touching them, almost giving them a gentle palm-strike. As he appeared in the sky, storing the two weapons in storage compartments on his arms, the Knightmares started to explode one-by-one.

"Anna, I think I want these Heat Cylinders and the Heat Sabers like Ashley's."

" _Won't that cost you much?"_

" _Hey, why are you stealing my weapons?!"_

"What do you take me for? We receive funding from the military, we earn loads of money, _I_ have loads of money, I have lots of blackmail material, we have our own plant, we have our resident geniuses at Knightmare design and manufacture and we have many people who like our cause. If push comes to shove, we can always take money from the bank as loan."

" _Oh, I forgot."_

"Anyways, I got to go. And Ashley, I am in charge, I can do anything I want. That sucks, right?"

He then returned to the battle at hand, returning the Heat Cylinders to Ashley while unsheathing his katana again. He then threw it right into the middle of a group of Knightmares. "Hmm… 50 Knightmares in one shot, give or take. Can anyone top that?"

Suddenly, bolts of lightning erupted from both the handle and the blade, travelling in outward streaks, hitting everything around them.

" _Cool."_

"Why thank you, Ayano."

He then swooped down, taking a few shots as he sheathed his katana again.

Suddenly, the Liberte dashed past him, katana in hand and cut through the enemy Knightmares, making use of the Propulsion Wings.

 **20 minutes later**

"And that's the last one." Hikaru said as he destroyed the last Knightmare with a Hadron Cannon.

" _Cornelia, this is Hikaru. The G-1 is safe and the attackers have been destroyed. Princess Euphemia is in the Lucifer and she is in the safest place at the moment. I repeat, Princess Euphemia is safe."_

" _Thank goodness… we're still under attack. The Black Knights and the JLF are attacking together."_

" _Alaina, get the hell over here! Tohdoh and his forces regrouped with the JLF. And that blue Knightmare is too goddamn fast, just like that red one! That Eleven and the Lancelot are dealing with the red one but there are a few copies of it."_

" _Fine. Geez, do you have to shout like that?"_

The Gardien then landed on the ground.

"Ashra Squad, take some rest. Your Knightmares are a bit damaged too. For now, you will be guarding the Lucifer. Understood?"

All of them saluted. "Yes sir!" 'I miss this. The Glinda Knights didn't have this kind of professionalism.'

Hikaru then said, "Have the Lucifer pick you up. It's in the air. And we are taking the energy fillers, if you don't mind. Based on the number, we may have to use another bomb."

"Alright."

"Leila, you will proceed to Lucifer. From there, you will be watching the battle. You are the Commander after all. Give us orders when required."

"Understood."

 **2 minutes later**

The six Knightmares were speeding through the forest.

"Alright. Right now, our battle force consists of us 6, that stupid Lancelot, some Gloucesters and Sutherlands."

" _Aren't the Gloucesters and Sutherlands damaged from the landslide and the battles?"_

" _Ayano's right. What should we do about that?"_

" _Essentially, our fighting force is a few Knightmares apart from ours."_

" _Yup, so that means more for us."_

"Just so you know, I am taking down Tohdoh's group. If they attack you, then you can fight back and defeat them but I will be the one to beat them."

" _Understood, Omega."_

 **3 minutes later**

The purple Gloucesters tried to fight off the Knightmares.

" _Damn it Alaina, where the hell are you?!"_

Suddenly, a figure crashed into the middle. As the dust cleared, the Gardien was hovering over the ground, its two guns aimed at the opposing Knightmares.

"Miss me?" He asked rhetorically as the guns changed to Hadron Blasters and he started firing, each shot destroying a Knightmare. As this happened, no one noticed the pack of energy fillers dropping on the ground.

" _Princess Cornelia, are you injured?"_

" _You filthy Eleven, refer to Princess Cornelia- Arghh!"_ He looked at the attacking frame to find the Gardien facing him, all the while taking shots at the enemies. _"You! How dare you attack a member of her highness' Royal Guard!"_

"Shut up. I don't give a shit about you being in her Royal Guard. You respect my pilots. If I ever find you insulting them, you are dead. That's not a threat. It's a promise." He growled at him before turning back to the battle.

"Ayano, Akito, don't care about idiots like him. Anyways, the princess looks like she's uninjured. Return to the battle. And if you can, gather a group of Knightmares around you."

" _I really like this plan, leader."_

"I try my best, Kosaka-sama."

 **10 minutes later**

Hikaru clashed with the Knightmares again.

"Tohdoh, looks like you don't know when you are outclassed." He swung the Eclipse at the Burai before blocking a swing from another Burai.

"You know, samurai are supposed to fight head-on with honor."

" _Don't talk to me about honor, Britannian!"_

"Hmm… Ayano, can you take care of this woman? I will just play with the Gekka he has."

The Alexanders rushed towards him as Ayano swung her sword, hitting the Burai.

" _I won't let you hurt him."_

"Akito, take Tohdoh. Ashley, take Asahina and crush him. Yukiya, Ryo, you two can deal with the others. While I will personally deal with our little blue friend over there."

Hikaru then disappeared in a burst of speed, all the while smirking ferally as your Eclipse sliced through the blue Gekka. "Is this the best that you can do, lightning?"

He didn't wait for an answer as the electric discharge made him scream again.

 **4 minutes 37 seconds later**

"Hmm… let's see. I have my weapons and shields. That guy has the claw so he has at least one weapon. Should I use the long range… nah, I got this." He answered himself as he started to attack the now defenseless Knightmares.

" _Leader, we need to capture a few Knightmares if we want to get some information."_

"Good idea, Yukiya. Let them go now. And no, I'm not going insane." He turned towards the six Knightmares.

"I'm sparing your lives and leaving you. So now, run away. You no longer have the power to fight us."

As if on cue, the Alexanders turned towards the remaining enemies.

 **Meanwhile**

A young orangette regained consciousness, rubbing her head slightly. "Ow… what was that sound?"

She looked around, finding her father unconscious and immediately gasped at the small gash on his arm.

"Dad!" She shook him to wake him up. He didn't move, making her fear the worst before he groaned in pain.

"Are you alright, Shirley?" Shirley Fenette nodded, relief visible on her face. Sounds of battle drew their attention as they looked around. The young women paled at the sight of the blood and the corpses of the people around. "I knew it. I shouldn't have convinced you to come into the mountain." She cried in fear as a few Knightmares entered the clearing.

Suddenly, rough voice exclaimed, _"Look, Britannians! Take them hostage!"_

The red Knightmares immediately grabbed them in their hands as the two civilians cried out in pain. A few Gloucesters burst through the clearing after them.

"Help! Save us!" Joseph Fenette shouted to the Knightmares, only to hear a laugh. _"Sorry sir. We cannot help you. We are to eliminate all the Knightmares. And you two are in the way. Don't worry, you will become martyrs for Britannia's glory. After all, what is two commoners compared to the Empire?"_

All hope seemed to be lost as the Gloucesters charged at them. The young women screamed in fear, unable to control herself as the Knightmares drew near. Suddenly, a pitch black Knightmare with blue in between appeared before them, its black wings looking like those of an angel. The Knightmare itself was like a dragon, completed by the wings.

The Knightmare grabbed the weapons, crushing them with sheer force. _"You dare attack the innocent?!"_

His voice was oddly familiar to the girl as the black Knightmare took a sword and seemingly danced through the Knightmares, leaving them in pieces. The black Knightmare then turned towards them. Suddenly, five Knightmares descended into the clearing, surrounding them.

" _What do we do, leader?"_

" _Kill them."_ His voice was cold as he gave his orders and the Knightmares moved, taking their weapons. The girl could only watch as the Knightmares drew closer, fearing for her life.

She opened her eyes, only to see the black Knightmare holding its hand out to her. She stared at it for a while, still dazed. _"What are you waiting for? Climb on."_

As the young orangette looked at her father, she found him safe and then climbed onto the hand. A few moments later, the a Knightmare began to fly, making her almost scream in fear before she looked at the scenery before her.

Suddenly, everything was over as she felt solid ground under her feet and a familiar voice called out to her.

"Shirley! Shirley, are you alright?!"

 **3 minutes later**

"There, all finished." Kate said.

"Thanks you, miss." Shirley looked at the young woman who was treating her father's wounds.

Hikaru looked at the pilots who were currently being held by the Ashra Squad.

"What is the meaning of this, Alaina?" Guildford asked as he looked at the pilots of Cornelia's Royal Guard being held like prisoners.

He then took notice of the two civilians in the bridge. Cornelia was striding over to him after checking on her sister.

"Nothing. I'm just going to kill them and I wanted you to know why." He said nonchalantly, as if it was an everyday occurrence.

"Two questions. Why did you bring two civilians into a military command ship? And why will you kill my Royal Guard?"

"Simple. I can do anything, because the ship is mine, duh." The members of the Wyverns broke out into quiet fits of laughter at his answer.

"Second, they were caught in the fight and therefore, they should be treated as casualties of war and protected by our soldiers. They were taken as hostages by enemy forces. As it is such, it is my duty to protect them, and what better than the most protected airship in the area?"

"Hostages?"

"The red Knightmares. They tried to escape and we chased after them, but looks like 3 Gloucesters got there first. And instead of rescuing them, they said and I quote "Sorry sir. We cannot help you. We are to eliminate all the Knightmares. And you two are in the way. Don't worry, you will become martyrs for Britannia's glory. After all, what is two commoners compared to the Empire?". Well, that pissed me off. And so, I will kill them, unless you have anything to say about it."

He then turned towards the Ashra Squad and gave a slight nod, which went unnoticed by everyone not part of the Wyverns. The three Ashra Squad members held them loosely, making them free themselves and they drew their guns, pointing it at the Ashra Squad members.

"You bastard! How dare you threaten to kill me! I am the next Earl of Boston!"

He pointed the gun at Hikaru, making him smirk. 'Oh he is so dead.' Was the thought that went through the minds of many of them.

"You dare threaten me for some commoner!"

Suddenly, a fist lodged itself into his gut as a cold voice spoke, "You really are hopeless. I won't bother wasting my time killing you."

As if on cue, the Lucifer's hangar opened and he dragged the self-proclaimed Earl to the open area, dragging him to the edge of the area. He then threw the man off the Lucifer, not even caring to watch as the man fell to his death, screaming.

He turned to the remaining two and said, "Look, I can drag you painfully and throw you off or you can jump off yourselves. You die anyway, because let's see, what are your offences?

You tried to kill innocent civilians to further your own goals, and for the sake of orders that were not even given by your superior.

You pulled a gun on my subordinates and me. You can be executed and your noble status stripped just for pointing a gun at the Grand Duke of Valdstein. So, choose."

 **The next day**

Raleigh entered the class, only to find all students grouped together, watching their phones.

"Class, take your seats." No answer. Her eyebrow twitched as she was ignored.

The young woman slammed her hands on the desk. "GET TO YOUR SEATS!"

"But Prof., it's Hikaru on the press."

"What?" "He was there at Narita, where all that fuss happened yesterday."

She walked over to Rivalz, where the members of the Student Council were watching the news on a tablet.

 **Government Bureau, Area 11**

Hikaru, Cornelia, Guilford, Darlton and a few others were sitting at a table.

"Princess Cornelia, can you give us the details of what happened at Narita?"

"We chose to attack the JLF, as the intelligence reports pointed towards the JLF hiding in their main base at Narita."

"Then I am sure that your forces were victorious."

"Victory? We may have won, but it wasn't at a cost." Hikaru interrupted. "Halfway into the battle, our forces were taken by surprise by a landslide on the mountain, which damaged our forces. Even as we regrouped, the damage had been already dealt. Tohdoh Kyoshiro was able to slip in through the perimeter and attack her highness, but in vain, for their foolish attempt was stopped by Princess Cornelia herself. We have lost many good men and for that, the JLF will pay."

"I am sure that the JLF are now captured, General."

"Yes. However, their leader, General Katase Tatewaki and the wanted fugitive, Tohdoh Kyoshiro, escaped and ran away, using their comrades' deaths as distraction in their cowardly escapade." Inwardly, he smirked at the jab he had given.

"And there are also people on site speaking about continuous explosions at the same point followed by a giant explosion which was reportedly seen even here in the Settlement."

"That was after the landslide. The town of Narita was going to be buried by the landslide. Seeing as my team was there, we made plans to evacuate the town, but a few remained, still stubborn. My airship, Lucifer, was in the way of the landslide. While it charged its main weapons, my Knightmare intercepted the landslide, and the explosions were a result of that. The big explosion was due to the Lucifer, which fired its Hadron Cannon at the landslide. The landslide was stopped eventually as a hole was created from the Lucifer's attack and the landslide entered the hole. Many lives, both civilian and soldier, were saved that day."

"A brave action, General. But what about your team?"

"My team faced no losses. We were able to do swift attacks with our Knightmares and it helped that the enemy Knightmares were frankly weak and outdated. The pilots were also weak and inexperienced."

"But the Royal Guard suffered many losses."

Guilford cut in as he spoke. "The Royal Guard was on the frontlines fighting against the JLF. And when the forces of Tohdoh attacked, they went in for a cowardly attack from the back. We had already been dealt damage from the landslide, as General Alaina mentioned, and the surviving pilots, including myself, were injured. The Knightmares were also low on energy. These factors were the ones that contributed to our losses. However, we still stand strong. The Royal Guard will not fall, not to any lowly Eleven!"

"General Darlton, what are your thoughts on this operation?"

"Operation Narita was a success, as we have effectively purged the JLF. The remnants of the JLF are now on the run and they will be captured, one way or the other."

"Princess Cornelia, what are her highness' thoughts on the battle?"

"However, the War of Narita was our victory. An overwhelming victory which will be spoken of for ages to come, as the world remembers and mourns for all the brave souls who gave their lives for this victory."

The meeting seemed to end without any questions.

 **Ashford Academy**

"Man, seriously, how can he keep his composure like that?" Rivalz asked no one as he looked at the press meet. "I mean, he's the same age as us and still he is so different from us."

"The answer is, Rivalz…" A familiar voice spoke from the window as Hikaru exited the Alexander Gardien and entered the classroom, taking his seat beside the window, giving a slight wave to Tsurara and Shirley before continuing. "Lots of experience in boring parties, mundane meetings and press meets. It also helps that I am a noble and I learned much from my parents."

"Oh… anyway what are you doing here and what the hell is that thing?!"

"Shh… don't let Anna hear you. She will kill you if talk about the Alexander Gardien like that."

"Wh-what?"

"That is his Knightmare. I saw it yesterday at Narita." Shirley supplied an answer, helping Rivalz. "Knightmare? Wasn't it the Reaper?"

Hikaru sighed as he said, "The Reaper, the Dragoon and the Alexander Gardien, all of them are my Knightmares."

"But the Dragoon was destroyed, right?" "Of course. Sending it on a crash course with a container filled with sakuradite will obviously do that."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, President. Anyway, Anna built it with a special OS to control the Reaper from remote, to a range of 1000 km."

He then took his book and started to read it. "Teach, are you going to start the class or will you just look at my Knightmare? I somehow feel that you are planning on breaking it apart if I let you and no, I will not."

Suddenly, the door opened as Akito, Ayano, Leila and Yukiya appeared in the doorway, panting lightly.

"Hikaru! If you were going to Ashford after the meeting, why didn't you give us a lift?!"

"You didn't ask me to give you a lift, Ayano." He said as he returned to his book.

 **2 hours later**

"Seriously, Shirley, why were you at Narita?"

"I was there to meet my father. And we got caught up as a few Sutherlands exploded near us and the explosion knocked us out. When we woke up, well you know what happened after that." "That I do." "Hey wait, what happened?"

"Shirley and her father were taken hostage by enemy forces. 3 members of Cornelia's Royal Guard saw them and instead of saving them, they were about to martyr them."

"Huh?" "They were about to kill Shirley and ." Lelouch clarified as he narrowed his eyes. "Well, I was lucky to stop their weapons. And I cut their Knightmares up and then me and my team of pilots killed the other pilots. After that, we entered the Lucifer, where was treated for a small gash on his arm. After that, Cornelia entered with her Knight Guilford. I told them about what happened to them."

"Wait. You just got one up on Cornelia." Ayano said with a knowing look in her eyes. "Really? What happened?" Milly asked excitedly, looking for a scoop. "Well, she asked him why he brought civilians into a military airship when she looked at Shirley-san and her tou-san." "And?" "He replied and I quote, "Simple. I can do anything, because this ship is mine, duh." You should have seen the look on everyone's faces." She said as she burst out into laughter.

"Seriously?!" Milly asked while Lelouch smirked in amusement. The other members of the Student Council didn't know how to react while Nunnally giggled.

Hikaru sighed before he continued. "And then I talked to her about the actions of her Royal Guard. And then I threw one of them off and the others just opted for suicide. They sealed their fate for death the moment they pointed a gun at me. If they had at least apologized, they would have served some time in prison before getting back to duty."

"Wait. You killed them?!" Suzaku almost shouted.

"Yes, Kururugi. I did." "They were supposed to be your comrades!"

"I don't think you heard my words clearly. The Wyverns will bring down justice on _all_ those who try and hurt the innocent. So they had to die." He looked at Lelouch for a moment before continuing, "And besides, you too. The Japanese are supposed to be your comrades. Why did you choose to join the army?" "Doi-" "I don't need the answer. I did what I had to do because I want to change things, one way or the other. In this world, controlled by Social Darwinism, the weak and the conquered will not be able to survive. They will be persecuted, discriminated, terrorised, hated, insulted and hurt. You think I will support that? I only joined the army because I felt it was one of the ways. You know, I could have gone two ways. Join Britannia or join EU. I joined Britannia because my friends were here, because my company will be closed once it becomes known that I joined the enemies and also because I wouldn't be recognized properly for my skills because I am a Britannian. Besides, one day, I will change this world, in any possible way, even if I have to walk the path of blood. I am just warning you, Kururugi, I don't care if you are against my views, just don't stand in my way, I don't want you to get hurt."

The tension in the air could be literally touched. Suddenly, a huge explosion threw them off their feet as smoke started to rise from the walls.

XXXXXXXXX

 **Hahaha… cliffhanger. Anyway, I introduced Rai and had him in the JLF. Don't worry, he will join the Black Knights and he will get his Geass. The Four Holy Swords, Rai and Tohdoh, they are capable Knightmare pilots on their own, however, the Knightmares are inferior compared to the Alexanders. And, all the Wyverns are trained to fight in Knightmares. They are all ace pilots. So it makes sense that they will be able to defeat them. And the only advanced Knightmare they have is the Gekka. However, on their side, they have six Knightmares and two with flight capability.**

 **Next, about the Royal Guard being killed by Hikaru, let's see. A soldier should protect the citizens of his country, not sacrifice them. And he also pointed a gun at Hikaru. Hikaru also became angry because it was Shirley they attacked, who is like a sister to him. So, you get it.**

 **And next chapter, let's see how Hikaru and the team deal with terrorists, while they have taken many students hostage.**

 **Next chapter, 'Chaos at Ashford'.**

 **Yay, tomorrow is my last exam and I will start the next chapter after that. I thought this chapter would be finished after the exams but I was able to finish it before. Anyways, bye.**

 **P.S.: Please review, guys. I need those reviews. And if you like the fic, please follow and fav. Thanks.**

 **-HikaruAlaina**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey people, back with the new chapter. Anyway, my exams are successfully over (yay!). And I have about 3 days before my college starts again. Anyway, this chapter will give the true identity of Hikaru's mother. I got the idea for this particular chapter from Kiseki no Birthday (Code Geass Picture Drama).**

 **Enough rambling. Let's get to the story.**

 **A/N: This chapter contains mentions of rape and other dark themes. Be careful while reading.**

 **Chapter 16**

 **Chaos at Ashford, the Black Dragon's declaration**

 **Student Council Room, Clubhouse, Ashford Academy**

The explosion rocked the ground as it threw them off their feet. The Wyverns immediately went into alert mode, their hands straying towards their weapons.

"Damn it! I didn't bring my gun!" The sounds of screams, bullets, explosions, Knightmares and even more explosions were heard as the whole academy descended into chaos.

"What the!" Rivalz shouted, vocalizing everyone's thoughts.

"We're under attack. Most probably, the JLF or some other group which was put down recently. Nobody move. And stay calm." Hikaru said.

"We don't have anything to worry about. Hikaru has his Knightma-"

"I don't. Anna is doing repairs on it and it will take some time. And from what I am hearing, they have Knightmares, lots of Knightmares. And also explosives, guns, everything. They are intending to lay siege to Ashford, huh?" Hikaru said, making everyone gulp.

"She will bring it along with the others here once they hear of it. But, we need to get to the Knightmares without alerting the terrorists, and also make sure that none of the students are hurt. The first part is easy, but the second part, not so much."

"It's alright. Hikaru has slipped into what everyone in the Wyverns likes to call 'Leader Mode', we will be safe like that." Ayano said reassuringly.

At the corner of the room, a green-haired woman was just looking at the blue-haired teenager, feeling a sense of familiarity. 'Why does that kid look like someone I know?'

Feeling someone's gaze on him, Hikaru turned towards her before looking back towards the door.

 **5 minutes later**

"We will do as you say, brave Japanese warriors. We only ask that you do not hurt any of the students here." Hikaru said in his best acting voice, sounding convincingly sincere, as he bowed down to the men pointing guns at them. A boot found its way to his head, kicking his head to the ground.

"Damn Britannian!" Said Britannian was calm, not even grunting in pain as his face met the floor, hard.

"No, stop!" Tsurara shouted in worry.

The men turned to her in small amusement. "A Japanese. What are you doing, saving him?"

"He saved me from being hurt and helped me many times. Please, don't hurt him."

The leader, who had kicked Hikaru turned to her. "You look familiar. What is your name?"

"Tsurara. Sumeragi Tsurara." She said, with a voice unlike hers.

Immediately, all the men turned towards her, bowing.

"Su-Sumeragi-sama!"

The others were a bit surprised while Hikaru smirked inside his head. 'Hmm… The Sumeragi name will be useful. Tsurara knows how to do it.'

"As one of the Sumeragi, this is my order. You will treat all the students and faculty of this school with utmost care and respect, unless they provoke you. And you will not harm any of them. You shall also not disclose any details of my being here to anyone. _Anyone_. Do you understand?"

" _Shouchi!"_

The men left the room in a hurry. 'Probably going to spread the word about the new orders.'

A few moments after they left, Hikaru stood up, rubbing his cheek slightly.

"Tch… should have used my Geass." He said to himself. However, the volume he spoke at made the others hear him, the others being Lelouch, CC and Tsurara.

Lelouch and CC had a shocked look on their faces as Hikaru's small bruise healed before their very eyes.

'That's like my Code!' CC thought, shocked at the regenerative power.

'He knows about Geass?! And he also has one?! What is his power?!'

Hikaru then turned towards the door as it opened. He smirked at the people who entered and his smirk widened to insane as they noticed him.

"Tohdoh, long time no see. Oh sorry, it was just yesterday that I crushed you, right?"

The silver-haired boy who was in the middle growled at his statement. "And you are Rai, I guess? How did you like the taste of the electricity? Surely, you wouldn't have been hurt by something as feeble as electricity, right, lightning?" He asked, using the translation of his name.

"You Britannian! Shut up!" The green-haired man with the glasses said.

"Shogo, don't let him get under your skin." Tohdoh said, his own calm at the verge of disappearing.

Hikaru continued, "I didn't think the noble Miracle-Maker Tohdoh Kyoshiro would take a school and the innocent students and teachers in it hostage."

"Innocent?! The hell you are innocent! You killed lots of our people!" The woman said as she glared at him.

"Who said anything about me? Of course, I killed many of your kind. But what about you? You killed many Britannians too. And what's to say that you might not have killed any civilians during your battles?"

No answer. He smirked as he continued.

"And let's see, I didn't kill any civilians in my whole career. In Jordan, I only killed members of the army. In Sakuragawa, I killed only terrorists. And in Narita, I killed only soldiers. And what's more, me and my team saved lots of lives which could have been lost in that landslide."

"Don't lie! I knew your record! You killed over 50,000 in Jordan alone. You expect me to believe that it was only soldiers?!"

"I don't care what you believe, Rai. The truth, the cold hard fact is that I didn't kill any civilians. And I don't expect anything. Expectations only lead to disappointments. Just live your life accepting what comes, instead of expecting something and get disappointed. That was something my mother taught me and I live by that."

"Like we care anything about what some Britannian taught you! For all we know, she is just as stupid as you!"

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard as the bench which was next to Hikaru broke into pieces.

He looked at them with pure anger in his eyes.

"You! Don't you dare insult my mother! I will not let you insult her, even if that's the last thing I do. My mother was a proud Japanese who took pride in her heritage! If you dare insult Setsuna Sumeragi again, I will kill you!" His voice was filled with anger and venom, enough to make everyone in the room flinch.

"Comparing her to you scum, no, you are below that, you are an insult to the Japanese that she spoke so proudly of! Now, get out of this room before I kill you!"

A fist hit him across the cheek before he caught another fist in his hand.

"Looks like you decided to die, huh?" He looked at the attacker.

He suddenly twisted Rai's arm and kicked his knee, making him fall down. A scream escaped his lips as his arm was twisted painfully.

"Rai, stop. Alaina, leave him alone."

"Why should I follow anything you say?"

"Because we are in control of this school."

"Hmm… good point."

He then released the teen. "Just so you know, never insult my family or their mere memory because the next time I find you after that, I will make you know two things. True pain and true despair. That… is not a threat, it's a promise."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before Tohdoh spoke.

"I want to do one thing if I have to believe that you are Setsuna Sumeragi-sama's son. If you really are her son, then you must be knowing her sword style. The special style of fighting that she alone used, and she taught it to only one person, her son."

"You want to fight me? Well that's fine." He then walked towards a wall, passing the students in the room.

"Sorry, for frightening you and lying to you." He then pressed a minute button on the wall and a panel slid out from the wall. A katana was lying inside the trapdoor. He took out the katana, which was placed in its sheath.

The sheath was blackish-blue and the hilt was black. Hikaru unsheathed the blade and looked at the blade, running a finger along the edge. The blade itself was blue in color, but had a black edge to it.

The hilt itself was shaped like a dragon, the tsuba being the eyes and the mouth, appearing as if the blade was emerging from the mouth. The eyes of the dragon were blue and there were patterns of blue lightning along the hilt.

Hikaru drew the blade and entered into his stance, the sheath strapped to his back while he held the sword in one hand tightly, the other just lightly gripping the hilt.

"This was my mother's stance. Every duel of ours used to begin with this stance. And now, I will be using my mother's teachings, what she passed on to me, to protect those I care about. So, Tohdoh, come at me with everything you have got. Because, with the **Raijin no Mai** entrusted to me by my mother, with this blade, with the **Narukami** , I will crush you and anything before me."

He then disappeared in a burst of speed, suddenly appearing before the older man, his sword already mid-swing. He then changed directions as he kicked the man in the ribs before swinging at his arm. The swing was narrowly dodged as Tohdoh swung his own sword at Hikaru, which was blocked by a palm strike at Tohdoh's katana's hilt.

Hikaru then spun with his katana in his hand and kicked the elder man while throwing his katana up into the air. He then performed a roundhouse kick aimed at the face, only to redirect the kick towards the blade, making the soldier retreat.

This fight continued for a few minutes while the others watched.

Suddenly, Hikaru jumped back, kicking Tohdoh in the chest as he jumped.

Tohdoh lunged forward, sword poised to strike, while Hikaru moved out of the way. Suddenly, a glimpse of black caught his eye as he moved clearly out of the way. 'Oh no! Tsurara!'

Tohdoh couldn't stop his blade, the power he had put into the strike was too great. As everyone watched with wide eyes, unable to stop the tragedy in making, a flash of blue appeared in the path of the blade, pushing the girl out of harm's way. Blood was spilled as the blade met flesh.

Everything was frozen for a while as the blood dripped down from his face onto the ground, the royal blue carpet stained with red.

Tohdoh's blade was now tinged with red, as blood was still dripping from its edge. A horrified look was seen on almost everyone's face as the injured teenager clutched his left eye with his hand, his right hand still gripping the katana tightly.

He held in a pained scream, glaring at the man with his visible eye. The blood continued dripping from the gaps between his fingers and his cheek.

He stood on shaky legs, breathing heavily as he felt the pain in his left eye. 'Not good… my eye's damaged. I'm as good as blind in one eye now.'

He slowly stepped forward, removing his hand from his eye, trying and failing to fight the overwhelming pain as he hid his injury with his hair and looked down to the ground, slowly stepping forward.

"H-Hikaru, are you alright?"

He said nothing as he said, "Tohdoh, take your stance."

"W-wha-what are you saying? You're inj-"

"Take your stance!"

The hardened warrior was reluctant for a second before he took his stance. Hikaru then struck his sword with extreme speed and force, unbecoming of someone his age. He struck again and again, forcing Tohdoh to go on the defensive.

The Japanese soldier was slowly being pushed back by the onslaught. The blue blade only appeared to be a blur, the only sight of the blade being the arc-like afterimages it made.

"H-he's winning." Rivalz said, still shocked by the blood spilled on the carpet, just the mere sight of it shocking him.

"No. He's at a disadvantage." CC said, her voice a mixture of calm but worried.

"What do you mean, Miss CC?" "Hikaru is injured in the eye. The worst case, he's essentially blind in one eye and he's also lost blood. He knows that too and that's why he is trying to finish it as quick as possible." Lelouch said, shock evident in his voice, analyzing the fight. 'How the hell did he move so fast? No normal human should be able to do that. No normal human should be able to move at that speed.' "It's his Geass." CC whispered next to him. "His Geass at least allows him to enhance his physical abilities and probably mental abilities. But it may be also something else."

The fight between the two was almost at its end. "Stop it, boy. You are far too injured to continue the fight. In your condition, you can't continue this duel. You have already proved that you are indeed Setsuna Sumeragi's son. Jus-" Senba tried to convince the young man, only to be interrupted. "SHUT UP! I am doing this for my own reasons and you don't know anything. So just stay out of this."

With a sudden burst of strength and speed, he swung his katana, the blue blade clashing with the gray metal. The two fighters were locked in a contest of strength before one of them pushed the other back, knocking the blade out of their hands. The sword spun in the air before it stabbed the ground.

"Hah… *Pant* I win." He said as he fell to the ground, unable to hold on any longer. His sword clattered on the ground beside him.

"Hikaru!" The Wyverns immediately moved to protect his unconscious form, Ayano now taking her kodachi and Akito his katana from the compartment that Hikaru had opened.

"St-stop. He won. He proved that he was the heir to Lady Setsuna's technique. We will leave now. We had come to tell that we had no hand. The forces are from Kyushu. They follow Minamoto, a member of the JLF that was killed yesterday, most probably. We tried to convince them to surrender or leave but they didn't agree with us. We only came to tell you this." Tohdoh said, surprised at the hostile glares sent by the Wyverns.

"Leave. All of you, leave." Akito said, his eyes looking at the damage done to their leader.

"Pray to whatever deity there is that he will be alright. If not, then you will have a lot of predators on your tail and you will be their prey." The hostility clear in his voice, he glared at them while Leila and Ayano tried to clean his wound.

Yukiya brought a first-aid kit and when he touched the wound by mistake, he yelped in shock.

"Ouch!" "What happened, Yukiya?" "It's… I got an electric shock." He whispered to her.

"Geass…" CC walked over to them as Lelouch followed them. "He has Geass? What power does he have?" Leila looked at her and immediately recognized the green hair.

"The witch in the forest… you are her." CC looked at her with a look of recognition on her face. "You're that blonde girl in the EU from long ago. Seems like you used the power I gave you. Anyway, what power does he have?"

"Control over lightning. And the enhancement of physical abilities. Also, an abnormal and high rate of healing."

As they talked, Hikaru's wound started to slowly heal, starting to clot. "There's nothing we can do apart from bandage it. We are not doctors." Yukiya said with a dejected sigh as he started bandaging the wound, not caring about the blood on his own clothes and hands.

 **20 minutes later**

"Look, he's waking up." A voice said hazily. Everything seemed to be covered in a sort of fog and all things appeared to be at the same distance. No, scratch that, he couldn't tell apart the distance between things. No depth perception. He jolted upright as he recalled a few things of what happened before he fell unconscious.

He immediately searched for his sword and sighed in relief when he found it resting next to him. He started to get up, only for a few hands to hold him back down.

"Where do you think you are going, mister?"

He looked at the people who were holding him down. 'Leila, Ayano, Akito, Yukiya, all the Student Council except Nina, CC, hmm… I think that's all, so basically, almost everyone in this room.'

"Can you get off me?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

"Nope."

"How much time has it been since…" "20 minutes. But enough about that, how many fingers?"

Yukiya held up 5 fingers before him. "5. And what happened?"

"See for yourself." Milly said, handing him a mirror. He took it, looking at his reflection. His left eye and that side was wrapped in bandages, which were still red. Apart from that, he looked pretty much alright.

"Where is Tsurara?" The others pointed to the rear of the group where she was sitting quietly. "Is she alright?"

"Hai." Tsurara answered his question. "But what about Hikaru-san?" "I'll be alright. Just some rest and I'll be as good as new."

"Don't joke, Hikaru." Lelouch said in a grim voice.

"I am not joking, Lelouch. Now, calm down while we plan." His words successfully diverted their attention from his wounds.

"Plan?" "Right. Plan and get the hostages to safety before we call the Wyverns here."

"The Wyverns are already here with the Lucifer and the Knightmares." "That's good."

 **2 minutes later**

"Right, everyone has calmed down so now we start the plan." Hikaru said.

Suddenly, the door opened as a few students entered the room.

"Please, let us stay here." A girl almost begged. "You are… first years. It's alright. Just don't make any sounds." Milly said in as assuring a voice as possible.

Lelouch and Hikaru simultaneously laughed evilly, drawing the attention of the Student Council. "To think that anyone would try terrorism on me… The pitiable guys."

Rivalz was clueless and whined, "Of course. We are pitiable…"

"Not us, Rivalz. Those idiots. They are truly pitiable." Hikaru said, echoing Lelouch's thoughts.

"Huh?" "Yes. Didn't they know that there's someone with the wit of a demon here?" CC said in a bored voice.

"Let's see. We have Lelouch here and me too. This will be easy, provided that everything goes according to plan."

'Lelouch's Geass is Absolute Obedience. He can order anyone to do anything, only once. And mine is control of lightning, so if we use our Geass in coordination, we can end this.'

Hikaru then looked at the door. "Kururugi, stay here and guard everyone in this room. Ayano, Akito, Yukiya, Leila, Lelouch, CC, all of you are with me."

"What's the plan?"

"First, neutralize all threats inside the school. And then, get the students and faculty to safety. After that, get the Lucifer and get our Knightmares, taking out all the Knightmares. That entails the basic summary of our plan."

"Wait. Why are Lelouch and Miss CC going with you?"

"Both of them are highly intelligent. And Lelouch is needed for the planning. CC, she knows how to fight. That's all."

Hikaru then went towards the door before turning back. He threw two knives at Tsurara who caught them. "You do know how to use them, right? We both trained under your mother together. Can I trust you to protect everyone in this room?"

"H-hai, Hikaru-san."

He smiled and went out of the room.

 **2 minutes later**

"So, Hikaru, spill it."

"I know about Geass and I know who's my contractor. And I also have met him and he passed his Code. That's why I am able to heal at this rate. I guess that's the power which is keeping me alive. And next, my Geass is control of lightning, electrokinesis, I think. I know about your power. So, let's just get this over with." He then put his left hand forward, and started to gather lightning on his hand, a distinctive crackling sound being heard.

Suddenly, his left eye pulsed in pain, making him fall to his knees, clutching the wound.

"What's happening? My eye shouldn't hurt like this when I use my Geass." He muttered to himself, before hearing someone enter the hallway they were in. "Shit! Terrorists!"

Guns were leveled at them before Hikaru stood on his legs again. 'It was a bad idea to split up.' Hikaru raised his hand and pointed it at them before firing a single bolt of lightning. Shortly after, he screamed in pain as his eye seemed to burn.

He immediately ripped the bandages off, clutching the eye as blood started to seep from the wound again.

CC knocked his hand away, looking into his eye. 'Code?!'

"The Code is healing your eye. But it is in conflict with your Geass." She summarised.

"That means… he will be hurt everytime he uses his Geass." Lelouch said. 'And now we lose our biggest advantage.'

He stood up on shaky legs. "Let's go. We have limited time." He walked towards the gym building before firing another bolt of lightning at the wall as another group rounded the corner, only to be electrocuted.

He clutched his eye with his left hand as another bout of pain ran through him before clutching his katana in his right hand. A small electric current ran through the blade as sparks ran along the blue blade. "Let's go."

He was supported by Lelouch as he walked. "Thanks, Lelouch."

 **3 minutes later**

The sigil of Geass was in his eye, glowing blue, as he used his Geass again and again.

He was now panting and breathing heavily as his eye glowed.

'The hell with this… I need to be strong enough to protect those I care about. And you, are in the way of that.'

He was glaring at a woman with black through pink hair and pink eyes, wearing an outfit with many Geass sigils, as if referring to Geass itself. No one was able to see her, except him.

'Dimensional Supervisor… you are coming in the way of my desire to protect my beloved family and I can't allow that.'

Lightning burst out from his body and he fired a single burst forward, only to be blocked.

'What is it that you want me to do? I don't have time for this.'

' _You possess Geass. It is too great a power to be controlled by humans.'_

'And?' ' _And… you have killed many. Your sins are many.'_

'I know.' ' _That's why, I have come here to take your Geass from you.'_

'Sorry, but I can't let you take the power I have, the power which lets me protect my family.'

' _You are still a human. Only a true demon, someone who has accepted their sins and accepted all the consequences for their actions, only someone like that can possess and harness the true power of Geass.'_

'A demon, huh? Look into me. See what I am, not in my body, but in my mind.'

She disappeared for a brief moment before reappearing in a place which could only be described as hell.

There was only darkness, darkness in its purest form. Even in the darkness, the hell could be made out clearly. The constant strikes of lightning which destroyed the ground, the constant flames which destroyed everything that was in the air, water and ground, and the cold ice which had frozen everything living. The hell was filled with fear and despair, along with anger and hatred. As she started to float upwards, above the darkness, there was a small paradise, where the light shone as the flowers bloomed and a cool breeze was blowing. The woman disappeared from the place and reappeared before the young man, a look of realization on her face as she spoke to him.

' _I have seen your true form. You have lost and gained many things. You made yourself a monster, a demon. You became a reaper, a dragon, a devil. You are Hikaru Alaina, but at the same time, you are the Black Dragon, that which the gods call Lucifer. You are already a demon and human. You decided to become a devil to protect what you, the human, holds dear. Then, you know the consequences of Geass and the result of your actions.'_

'Yes. I will not use my power without knowing why it was given to me and what the results of the actions I take are. And I know what the final stage of Geass is. I am prepared to shoulder all my sins and burdens. Just a few more won't hurt me.'

' _Then… you are deemed worthy to use Geass and possess a Code.'_

'However, I do not want immortality.'

' _You are the same as Dash. As it is his wish, his Code only protected him. That's what it will do. It will give you the power to heal.'_

'Wait. Power to heal? Can I heal others too?'

' _Yes. But beware. You can use that power to heal only twice, two will be those you choose, however, if you do not have any feeling towards them, if they are not people you love, then it will be a waste. There is also a chance that it may also further aggravate the person's condition.'_

'Understood.'

The Dimensional Supervisor disappeared, as he stood up. 'Looks like when I use my Geass, for now, it will pain, but I can bear that pain. I have to.'

He then looked at his two companions. "CC, you are my mother's friend, right?"

"Yes. Setsuna had a Geass too. Hers was the power to-"

"The power to protect. That is what kept me alive when I was shot. And anyway, what I want to know is if she could pass on her Geass to me."

"Maybe. I don't know. She gained Geass to protect her family, not like the boy here."

"Lelouch has a reason to live. So, Lelouch, Kallen is in the Black Knights and you are Zero. Do any of them know about Geass or your identity?"

"No. Nobody except CC knows my identity. However, Sayoko-san knows that I am doing something."

"Let Sayoko-san know that you are Zero."

"What?! Why?!" "If she ever joins the Black Knights, she has to know who you are. Or what would you consider is better? Her helping you in an operation where you may not need it or her protecting Nunnally?"

"Protecting Nunnally." "Right. So just send a message to her as Zero, meet her and then reveal your identity to her. And then ask her to protect Nunnally."

Lelouch was silent for a few minutes before he answered, "Fine."

"And give her a mask. If Kallen sees her, then she will connect the dots."

"Alright." The then continued towards their destination.

 **Gymnasium, Ashford Academy**

Many students and teachers were being held in the building, guns leveled at them. Suddenly, the door was blasted apart as many soldiers were thrown in by a bolt of lightning. The dust cleared to reveal Hikaru, Lelouch and CC. Yukiya, Akito, Ayano and Leila also were present. A few shouts rang out as Yukiya took out the men at the back with his sniper rifle. A few knives were thrown with expert accuracy at the men, stabbing them in the neck.

Hikaru dashed forward as he punched the supposed leader in the neck, crushing his neck and subsequently, voice box. He then immediately disappeared in bursts of speed, using his Geass and quickly killing the members of the JLF. Their blood spilled on his clothes and a little bit spilled on his face but he didn't give a second thought to it. The other members of the Wyverns also got to work, with Akito and Ayano going in close range while Yukiya gave them cover. Meanwhile, Leila, Lelouch and CC helped escort the hostages under the watchful eye of Yukiya. The Student Council members who had arrived after a call from Lelouch also helped, leading them towards the safer parts of the building. Meanwhile, the three Japanese and one half-Japanese Wyverns finished their job, not leaving a single survivor. Hikaru called a certain person on his phone. "Anna, bring the Lucifer around. I want all the hostages inside and secured safely."

" _Understood."_

"Also, deploy the Knightmares. Give me the Gardien's controls. I will control all the Knightmares from here. And, I want the Lucifer's shields deployed, along with all of the weapons."

" _Alright."_

"By all Knightmares, I mean the Reaper too. This time, they've gone too far." His voice was cold as he spoke his last orders.

As his subordinate was about to acknowledge his orders, a high-pitched scream alerted them. At one part of the gymnasium, Tsurara was being held hostage by two JLF members, a knife to her neck, a gun to the side of her neck.

'Looks like we missed two.' He surmised calmly as he said, "Don't you know who she is? She is a daughter of the Sumeragi house."

"Shut up! I don't care if she is from the Kururugi house itself. She will die for deceiving us, no matter what."

Hikaru sighed as he walked forward, swinging his katana, slowly turning it in a circle, occasionally throwing it, sending it flying into the air while rotating before he caught it again. He then suddenly disappeared, appearing before the two men, slashing various parts of their bodies, including the neck, at the same time, beheading them as he caught the girl.

"Threatening my family will result in death." He spoke in an emotionless voice.

Behind and before them, many students were watching, mainly the Student Council, their attention shifted to the gymnasium by the scream.

The two heads rolled on the ground as the mutilated bodies fell to the ground. The blood seeped into the padded floor and pooled around the corpses.

Hikaru then looked at the girl, who was now a bit relieved, but the fear still visible on her face. There were stains of blood on her clothes, stains from the now dead JLF members. He gave her to Milly, who helped her into another hallway, while the faculty and Student Council continued their work of evacuating the students. He flicked his sword, splashing the blood onto the ground as he commanded, "Lelouch, get all the people to the roof. I will tell you when. The signal is the Reaper. Once it is near the stairs along with Leila and Yukiya's Alexanders, lead them to the staircase. The Lucifer will be waiting there. Once everyone is there, all of you enter the ship too. From there, I want you to take command of the ship temporarily. Take this." He threw the small locket he wore at Lelouch, who caught it.

"That will give you authority. Just show it to them. I want you to command the forces. Can I trust you?"

"Of course."

The Wyverns all disappeared as Hikaru started typing some buttons on the holographic console, maneuvering the Alexanders to him as he entered the Gardien, immediately taking off. The Reaper proceeded towards the stairs, crashing into and destroying part of the building. As all the students quickly proceeded up the stairs and onto the roof, as the Gardien swiped past the roof, the Eclipse already drawn. A few seconds later, a shadow fell over them as the Lucifer hovered over the roof. At that moment, a few more Alexanders entered the fray, piloted by the Special Security Forces. The Reaper jumped onto the roof and laid its hand out to Lelouch and Tsurara. As the two students stood on the hand, the Reaper clutched its hand to the torso and jumped onto the Lucifer, straight into the open hangar, running inside till it reached the command center. Lelouch jumped down from the Reaper's hand, flashing the locket for a brief moment before looking at the map.

"Lucifer, open fire with the main HVP. Coordinates, point D-9."

He then looked at another part of the map. "Gardien, fire guns to the left in approximately 18 seconds. Liberte, use Hadron Cannons, 50 degrees, above."

Explosions rang out as the attacks were carried out, destroying groups of Knightmares.

"Sniper, aim 68 degrees to the left and fire. Use Hadron Mode. Reaper, use electric discharge and launch scythe at 38 degrees to the right. Output, 58% and then fire shotguns at 11 O'clock. Ten Knightmares will be coming there any moment now."

Lelouch smirked devilishly as the satisfying explosions rang out and the IFF signals started to be replaced with LOST icons. "This is too easy, but I have to adjust with their Knightmare names."

He then turned to the map before asking, "Status of hostages?"

"They are still being evacuated."

"I see. Gardien, fire Hadron Blasters to your 4 O'clock, quadrant 8."

" _Understood, Lelouch."_ The Gardien then used the Hadron Blaster to fire to its bottom right in its 4 O'clock, taking out a group of 5 Knightmares.

" _Lelouch, any enemy Knightmares in large concentration?"_

"Let me check. Let's see… aha, there is a group of 25 Knightmares, moving towards the roof. Point L-2." A maniacal laugh made itself known as Hikaru activated the Reaper.

" _Hmm… looks like they will know the Reaper."_

Suddenly, the Reaper's IFF signal moved at a high speed towards the main building. Its scythe was held before its torso, crackling with electricity.

In a few moments, the pilot controlling the Reaper smirked. _"Lelouch, any more enemies? And any friendlies in a circle of effective radius 100m?"_

"None."

" _Good."_

The Reaper swung its scythe at the group of Knightmares, electric sparks crackling along the blade. It bisected a few Knightmares into pieces along with the pilots before throwing it at the group of amateurs. No machine had even a remote chance of survival as all those which weren't caught in its attack were shot by the Reaper's shotgun.

" _Lelouch, I'm finished here. Anywhere else?"_

"Hmm… you could go to the roof and help the hostages evacuate. Or you could take care of the remaining forces."

" _Let's see… helping hostages or taking care of some idiots. Hostages mean safety and fighting means danger to my life. Well… fighting it is."_

Lelouch almost laughed at Hikaru's response before both the Gardien and Reaper charged at the enemy Knightmares, the Reaper attacking a few Knightmares at the front while the Gardien flew over the roof, gusts of wind blowing past them. Some of the students and teachers screamed in fear while a majority of the females screamed in embarrassment, as the wind had raised the small miniskirts.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred as the Gardien fired its Hadron Cannons at the wall, destroying both the wall and the Knightmares and Raikou cannons hiding behind it.

The Student Council President shrieked as she saw the wall being destroyed without any trace. _"Geez, Prez, I will get it rebuilt. Don't worry."_

"Hikaru! You are going to pay!" She shouted at the blue-haired pilot.

 **Lucifer**

Lelouch watched with an amused smirk as Milly argued with Hikaru. He directed the pilots to different points on the map, not even hesitating as he sent a few of them to seemingly dangerous positions, only for the danger to be averted by the actions of another pilot. Meanwhile, almost all of the Wyverns were just looking at the map. The number of enemy units had been reduced drastically.

"The hell? Who is he?" Claus muttered as he looked at the teenage student. The exiled prince was just having a smirk on his face as he directed the Reaper towards a few units. Many signals on the map changed to LOST icons.

"With this, the enemy's main force has been neutralized. Now, all that is left is dealing with the remnants. Hikaru, I am sending you the coordinates of the remnants. Can you take them out?"

" _How much time till the military gets here with all the equipment?"_

"Hmm… 20 minutes."

" _Then, taking a leaf out of your book… I will finish this in 9 minutes."_

"Cheeky bastard!" Lelouch said, amusement in his voice as he recalled his words. "Interesting, but I don't remember you being there at my chess match when I uttered these words."

" _You know me."_ Hikaru said as he controlled the Gardien and it disappeared in a burst of speed, leaving afterimages in its wake.

'That Alexander Gardien… maybe I can get him to help me. But will he do it, help me, help Zero, the enemy of Britannia?'

The time seemed to slowly pass as Hikaru entered the Lucifer. "Hey Lelouch, it is exactly, let's see, 8 minutes 32 seconds, same as your match."

He then jumped down from the cockpit as he walked over to the hostages, specifically, Tsurara, who was still shaking in fear from the blood on her. He put his hand on her shoulder, making her look up to see his face. She flinched, expecting to see anger, hatred, disgust or disappointment in his eyes. Instead, her eyes widened as kindness, regret, remorse, love, sympathy, guilt and sadness were reflected in his eyes, which were now blue with yellow in them. His hair also was changed as now, he had black streaks in his hair amplifying his black highlights. His left eye had a symbol of a blue bird in the pupil, which was glowing slightly in a blue glow, but was not noticeable easily. He led her to a separate part of the Lucifer where his quarters were situated. He led her into the room as it opened, showing a room with blue paint and some decorations, mainly a few photos stuck on the wall, showing him with his family, one with him, Tsurara, his mother and Tsurara's mother Shizuka, along with his sister Tsurara and Kaguya, Shizuka's younger daughter. Another one was of him, Leila and Anna after the Legion exam, another of the Student Council and their hosts in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The whole Wyverns consisted of one photo while the Student Council was in another frame. All of the photos were in blue frames with black designs on them. On one side of the room, there was a comfortable-looking bed with blue covers. On the other side, there was a cabinet where various weapons were present, along with a safe. The weapons consisted of a few guns, along with ammo and also many tactical knives, all strapped to a belt, and a pedestal stand for the katana he was carrying. In the bottom of a shelf, there were a few sets of his clothes, including civilian, school and military. Almost all the weapons were black in colour. The safe was open and contained a few documents and blueprints. On one end of the room, opposite to the door, was another door that led to the bathroom. A blue scarf with black designs was situated on the bed, looking almost in place. He led her to the bed and sat her on it.

She sat down, still shaking from the experience. He hugged her tightly as he whispered into her ear, "It's alright, Tsurara. Let it out. You don't have to hold anything in. You can cry if you want. There's no one here who will judge you."

As if her exterior was broken by his calm words, she immediately broke down, bursting into tears as her sobs racked her body. He rubbed small circles on her back in an attempt to comfort her. They stayed like that for several minutes before she seemed to calm down. Her sobs lessened as she stopped shaking. Her voice sounded weak as she asked, "H-Hikaru-san, what y-you said back there, about being a member of the S-Sumeragi house, was it true?"

Hikaru smiled at the question, ruffling her hair as he answered, "Of course, imouto.( **1)** I won't lie or hide it anymore. I am Hikaru Alaina Sumeragi, the Black Dragon, the commander of the Lucifer, leader of the Wyverns, a Vice-President of the Ashford Academy Student Council, and, for you, Tsurara Sumeragi, I am your onii-san.( **2)** "

His eyes only showed kindness as he asked, "Do you know what happened to Shizuka-obasan **(3)** and Kaguya-hime( **4)** , Tsurara-chan?"

His words seemed to make her annoyed as she pouted. "You are calling me that again. I told you to call me by my name."

He held up his hands in surrender as he said, "Gomen gomen **(5)**... anyway, how are they?"

"Okaa-san **(6)** died after the war. She was ill." "A chronic illness. Yes, I saw the signs when I visited Japan before the war."

"Kaguya is alright. She is doing good, if I say so myself. She is the head of the Sumeragi house and the leader of the Sumeragi conglomerate."

"She's doing good, I see." He then looked at himself before saying, "Tsurara, you can go and take a shower in there. Just take one of my pairs of clothes. I will catch up on some sleep."

"Alright."

She disappeared into the shower, stripping herself of her bloodstained clothes as she looked at the shower, which was every bit luxurious and classic.

"Hikaru-nii does know how to pick up good interior." She commented to herself as she turned on the shower.

As the water slid over her skin, she looked at her hands and then looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were red from the crying. There were traces of red on her skin where the blood had spilled. She scrubbed her arms furiously as the blood washed off her. She then looked at herself. "I couldn't even do anything to protect myself, let alone the others. What was I even doing? Hikaru-nii even got injured because of me."

She exited the shower, a towel wrapped around her body as she walked out of the shower, walking towards the cabinet, a hand holding the towel securely around her. She looked through the clothes, browsing through them, selecting each one and looking at herself in the mirror. Finally, she decided on a loose-fitting blue v-neck T-shirt and jeans. The T-shirt exposed some of her cleavage and she giggled at little as she remembered her cat costume.

"Seriously, Milly-kaichou does the weirdest things more than half the time." She said to herself as she walked towards the bed, aiming to wake up her brother. She bent over to see his face as he had his back away from her and shook him, trying to wake him up. He woke up slowly, grumbling about something as he looked at her. She was wearing a pair of his clothes and he said, "I will go and take a shower. Call me if anything happens. You can sleep if you want." He gestured to the bed before his face changed as if he remembered something.

He gave the scarf to Tsurara, wrapping it around her. "There, all done."

"Are you alright with giving this to me, Hikaru-nii? This was obaa-san's-"

"I know. Kaa-san would be happy if you had it, instead of me, seeing as I don't wear scarves that much."

"I see. Arigatou **(7)**!" He went into the shower, grabbing a pair of clothes as he went in. Tsurara blushed as she looked at the door, before thinking out loud, "If Hikaru-nii had woken up or someone had walked in while I was changing…" A scarlet blush spread across her face as she pictured the thought before she fell onto the bed, a hand across her forehead as she curled onto the bed like a cat.

Hikaru appeared a few minutes later, now clad in his uniform, his katana hanging by his side while many knives were hid in the coat along with his guns. He looked at the bed to see Tsurara sleeping on it, curled up like a cat. He laughed slightly as he checked all his weapons and then checked Tsurara for any wounds, mainly the red marks on the arms.

He sighed. 'She is scared.' He put his hands over her arms as a blue glow surrounded the red marks on her arms where she had put too much force. His left eye glowed as the Geass sigil in his pupil became more pronounced. Hikaru smiled weakly as the wounds disappeared, leaving perfectly smooth skin. 'At least the healing is working.'

 **Lucifer Bridge**

The Wyverns saluted as Cornelia entered the bridge with Guilford and Darlton following her, Euphie at the back with her Knights. Lelouch cursed as Euphie spotted him and shouted, "LELOUCH!"

She ran at him, only for him to narrowly dodge, cursing inwardly. 'Damn! I stayed too long.'

Cornelia, who was too far away, went directly to where they knew Hikaru's room was. After two knocks, the automatic door slid open, to the sight of Hikaru draping the covers over a blue-black haired girl who was currently sleeping on _his_ bed.

"Alaina, who is that Eleven and why is she here?" Darlton asked, a disapproving glare thrown at both of them.

"Darlton, I would like it if you stopped glaring at my _sister_ and return to business. The details of why they attacked here is unknown but the members are from the former Japanese army in Kyushu. They followed a guy named Minamoto."

"Minamoto Suzuki, a high-ranking member of the JLF. His corpse was found at Narita."

"Well, there you have your reason. And what better to attack than the most prominent Britannian educational institute in the Settlement, with the least security and also, the military is weakened now. You went hunting for the remnants of the JLF and some other terrorist groups, while the military also suffered due to that landslide. Our numbers are weakened and our equipment and Knightmares are damaged too. No survivors from the JLF. They didn't contain any useful information. Anyways, the damage has already been dealt. The Wyverns' leader has been injured, we have many students and faculty probably suffering from trauma. And the Ashford building itself is damaged. Cornelia, request aid from Schneizel. The Glaston Knights are needed. Now, we need some help or Area 11 will fall. You too know that to be true."

She agreed begrudgingly before leaving the room as Lelouch suddenly entered the room, closing the door before a pink blur could enter. He was panting for breath while Hikaru facepalmed. "Sister, Lelouch is here! Come quick!"

"Oh no! Why do we have to deal with one disaster after another?!" Hikaru grumbled as he called Milly. "Yeah, it's me. Look, you can scold me afterwards but be careful. Don't let Nunnally be recognized. Hide her among the students or even in the Knightmares if you have to. Cornelia and Euphemia are here."

A gulp was heard from the other side before he hung up and Hikaru opened the door but stood in the doorway, blocking anyone from entering the room.

"Quiet!" He shouted, the authority clear in his voice. "Euphemia li Britannia, uphold your duty as a Princess of the Empire and cease this action. If you have to talk to someone, ask him if he has some time. Don't charge at him without knowing who he is. Lelouch Lamperouge is the Co-Vice President of the Student Council of Ashford Academy along with me and he is _not_ Lelouch vi Britannia. Lelouch vi Britannia and Nunnally vi Britannia died in the war. Accept that fact. And don't trouble Lamperouge here. Both him and my sister are currently very tired so if you have to talk, there's always the option of getting one of your Knights to escort you to the academy. But now, go back." He said sternly, making her happy mood dissolve. "B-but, he has a sister named Nunnally too. It's too much of a coincidence."

"What happened to Nunnally before the war?" He didn't wait for an answer as he continued, "That's right, she contracted hysterical blindness and lost her sight, along with the use of her legs. But Nunnally Lamperouge _can see and walk_. That concludes everything." He turned back towards the exiled prince. "Lelouch, go to the room next door. It's empty. You can take some rest there if you want."

"Thanks." Lelouch said, gratitude clearly visible in his eyes as he walked past him, not sparing a glance at the members of royalty and their Knights. Hikaru then closed the door as he exited the room, walking towards the hostages.

"Get her near the Gardien." He spoke into his phone in a low tone.

"Cornelia, I think the students and faculty will be assured and calm if both of you make an appearance with your Knights." He walked towards the Gardien where the Student Council were gathered around Nunnally.

He walked towards the blind girl and laid a hand over her hand, touching her forehead.

"Hikaru-san?" "Shh… Nunnally, stay calm. And you guys too, don't make any sound. I need to focus."

He activated the healing ability of Code at the same time as his Geass as a small spark of lightning formed around his fingers and moved towards Nunnally, disappearing as it met her forehead.

His left eye glowed as the sigil became more pronounced. Slowly, Nunnally started seeing something while her legs shook.

Hikaru moved back from her, now tired. 'Healing small wounds, like Tsurara's, left me just a bit winded. However, healing Nunnally has made me extremely weak. Looks like I can't go on healing people as I want to. But anyways, I did two good things today or so I would like to believe.'

He was brought out of his thoughts by a familiar voice calling him. "Hikaru-san, what did you do?"

"Nunnally, try to open your eyes and also, if you can, try to stand." "Huh? What are you talking about, Hikaru? Nunna-chan can't!" Shirley said as the others voiced their agreement.

"She can. If what I tried just now worked, she should be healed of all illnesses that were affecting her at that point in time. Meaning, even her legs and eyes."

They spent a few moments in silence as Nunnally tried to stand, while opening her eyes.

"Blue…" Nunnally muttered as she looked at Hikaru who was kneeling before her, his hair being the first thing she saw. Her violet-blue eyes were now open, as she looked around, spotting the members of the Student Council. "Where's onii-sama **(8)**?" She asked, while everyone tried to get over the shock of the Honorary Member regaining her sight. She tried to stand up, only to stumble from the inactivity to her legs.

Hikaru caught her as she fell. "It's alright, Nunnally. Lelouch is in the quarters next to mine. You can go see him there."

He led her to the quarters while holding onto her, offering her his support, while Sayoko and CC followed behind them.

"Lelouch, it's me, open the door." "It's open." Came the reply from the Prince of Ashford as Hikaru opened the door. As he looked at the doorway, he was assaulted by Nunnally hugging him tightly and a little bit painfully. "N-Nu-Nunnally, y-you can s-see."

He looked at her eyes, so similar to his own, which he had longed to see since those many years, wishing for the glow in her smile to be reflected in her eyes also. "She can also stand if you can't see, Lelouch." Hikaru said, making the prince gasp in shock. His sister was indeed standing on her own two legs, though a bit shakily.

"B-but how?" Hikaru answered with his Geass by creating the sigil between his fingers, and making it rotate as it flew up to his eye.

The symbol of Geass in his pupil was now glowing lightly. "I lost the Code given to me by Dash." "Huh?" "I lost the Code, which keeps CC here immortal. And now, I used that power to heal my own injuries, more specifically, my eye. And then with the remaining power, I healed Tsurara and Nunnally."

"Code can't disappear like that!" CC exclaimed.

"It can. I wanted my Geass so that I could protect all those I love, not some stupid immortality where I only am alive. The Code knew this, so I was healed, gradually, the Code lost its power. Today, after my eye, the Code tried to enter my body but I rejected it. So, I was in pain when I used Geass. A few minutes earlier, I use my Code to heal Tsurara and now Nunnally. Before that, I used the healing effect of Code to push myself to my limits while the Code healed my injuries. Now, my body is adapted to the Code, so now I gained an increased rate of healing, not like Code, but still stronger than normal humans. Anyways, enough of this discussion. Now, Nunnally, Cornelia and Euphemia are here. I think you need to know what to do."

"Yes. I am Nunnally Lamperouge, sister of Lelouch Lamperouge and a student at Ashford Academy. My parents were killed in an accident and my brother and I came to Area 11 for a new start and enrolled in Ashford Academy." Nunnally said in a calm voice.

"Good. I am sorry, Nunnally. But-"

"If anyone discovers us, we risk being exposed and brought back to the Royal Family."

"And the Emperor and many of the Royal Family would threaten and maybe have you killed."

Lelouch stiffened at this, while looking at Nunnally, he thought, 'Hikaru and Milly… both of them are helping me too much. I owe them and haven't even done anything for them.'

Hikaru only smiled before he entered his own room, taking a seat beside Tsurara as he ran a hand through her long hair comfortingly.

She mumbled something as she snuggled up to his arm, tightly wrapping her arms around his, also having the added effect of pressing his arm against her chest.

He blushed at the contact before trying to dislodge his arm, only to have it move a bit to the side, making his hand lay above her heart.

He sighed. "She's this strong in her sleep. I really have to make sure that she is not angry at me."

 **1 hour later**

"Alright, that's the last of the students." Hikaru said with a sigh as he sent the young teenager before him to a group of students.

"The Lucifer will drop the students at the designated pickup points where the students' guardians will be. The Security Personnel will oversee the procedure." Hikaru stated as he surveyed the destruction caused by the attack.

He then sat at his desk and started writing a letter and then gave it to Milly. "Prez, is this alright?"

She read the letter once, twice and then thrice.

 **24/06/2017 a.t.b**

 **Respected Guardian and Students,**

 **In light of the recent attacks on Ashford Academy, the administration has declared a holiday for all students. All the students are to spend their time of their own volition for a period of 3 months, while the damages done to the academy are repaired. All club activities and classes will be suspended for the 3 months period. The dorms and other housing facilities, along with the cafeteria will be closed off. Entry into the premises will be granted only by the President and Vice-President of the Student Council, apart from the Principal. If any students feel the need to live in the dorms, our sponsor, Grand Duke of Valdstein, Hikaru Alaina will provide housing for the time period. Students may talk to him if the need ever arises. All the mentioned people above will be available for calls for information on the repairs and permissions for entry into the premises, along with any other All students are encouraged to use their time in a productive manner.**

 **Thank you**

 **Reuben Ashford**

 **Principal**

 **Ashford Academy**

"What's this? How did you perfectly copy his handwriting and even his signature?"

"I infiltrated the enemy base and created a new identity and military ID for myself. If I am able to forge those, simply copying a person's handwriting and signature is something I can do with my eyes closed, duh."

The Student Council members laughed at Milly's expense. "He really closed his eyes and wrote the letter. I was watching." Nunnally said, giggling at the stupefied expressions on their faces.

Hikaru then put it in the copier and had it printed. "Let's see. There are 3 groups. Each section contains 25 students on an average. The number of sections is 20 in total. So, 1500 copies, give or take."

In a matter of minutes, all the students had received the letter and were reading through it.

About 200 students came to him for help in housing and he immediately called Edith, having her book the hotel rooms for about 200 students.

 **5 hours later**

"Phew, now that that's finally over, what are you guys going to do?"

"I am going back to my room in the quarters. I have one." Suzaku answered.

"And we all are going to take up your offer." Milly said with a mischievous smile.

"Offer?" "I offered them if they wanted to stay with me." Hikaru clarified before saying, "I will go over to Weisswolf in the Gardien. Bring the Lucifer there. And don't forget to cloak it."

"Understood, leader."

 **2 hours later**

"So, she is your sister?"

"Cousin sister, yes."

"This calls for a party. The fated reunion of two long-lost siblings…" Milly said before Hikaru said, "Hell no! I am not going to host any parties in the Weisswolf! This is a military base, for god's sake."

"Sure doesn't look like one." Rivalz commented.

"Really?"

He then pressed a button on his watch and the speakers in the room announced, _"Going into Lockdown Mode."_

"Huh?" A rumbling sound was heard as the whole building was covered by movable blocks, a dome retracted over the Lucifer's port, the hangar was closed off from the outside and suddenly, turrets appeared all over the building at various points, along with hyper-velocity cannons and small cannons which seemed to have a small knife tip at the end of the barrel.

Outside the building, a big transparent reinforced glass screen covered the whole area of the building, along with the walls surrounding the estate. There were two rows of statues before the walls, each statue looking frighteningly similar to the Gardien with its wings activated. The wings seemed to have a current of electricity passing through them as the swords which the Knightmare copies held in each hand were crossed with another sword from the one beside it, forming a shield as the wings overlapped with each other. Electric currents were running through the wings and swords. The walls also had flamethrowers installed in them along with machinegun turrets. The dome of reinforced glass covered the statues in such a way that one row was inside and the other row was outside.

The gate was closed and electric currents were easily visible between the bars of the gate. The Gardien copies surrounded the whole estate, guarding the wall. Two Hadron Cannons were situated on each face of the big cuboidal house. The metal covering the walls was also covered with weapons. Lastly, the driveway was now laden with sharp spikes. Suddenly, many **Alexander Drone** model Knightmares entered the scene, each machine having the same weapons and modifications. Suddenly, one Dragoon Omega Knightmare appeared on each side, heavily armored and armed to the core.

"Does this look like a military base to you, Rivalz?" Hikaru asked the shocked Secretary with a wicked smirk on his face as he watched the whole transition on a big screen in the living room.

The other occupants of the room were just shocked at the sudden transformation.

"That was just badass!" A bright voice came from the other room.

Hikaru sighed as he heard the room.

"Why are you here again?"

"Princess Euphemia wanted to stay here for today and you agreed to indulge her. So, as her Knights, we have to stay here too."

"Not that. I am asking why you are here in my room, when you should be with Euphemia?"

"Hmm… I was taking a break?"

Hikaru glared at him, making the Weinberg shudder. "Give me one good reason to not kick you." He said as he walked towards the blonde noble.

He nervously answered, "Because I am your childhood friend?"

"Not good enough." With one leg sweep, Gino fell to the ground.

"You need more practice, Weinberg, if you want to be called a Knight. Because if it wasn't for us, Euphemia would have been dead by now. Become stronger as her Knight or you won't able to call yourself a Knight anymore."

He then threw Gino out of the room before closing it. He looked at the time.

"I need to go. 3 days later, we have to survey the damage that has occurred and build a new plan for the building. And we have to contract a company, a trustworthy company, for the construction. Lelouch, before the construction, I want you to go to the clubhouse and take anything of importance that you have there. Prez, inform all the students to do the same. Two days from now."

He then walked towards the door, playing with his Knightmare key.

"Ashley, follow me. A mission. We are taking the **Fafnir**." "Alright!" He said excitedly.

"Just one pilot?" "I'm taking the Reaper too. The Gardien, the Red Ogre and the Reaper, along with the Fafnir controlled by you. I think that is enough. Hell, that's overkill."

"Wait. Onii-sama is going too?" Nunnally asked with worry.

Hikaru bent down to her. "Don't worry, Nunnally. I promise that Lelouch will be safe. Besides, he needs to come, seeing as he is the best strategist I know apart from Leila. He will be safe."

 **45 minutes later**

"You know, Lelouch, you should join the Wyverns at least as part-time. You really are fit for this."

Lelouch only sighed as he sat in a comfortable chair near the map. He then looked at the girl next to him.

"Why did Tsurara come?"

"Ask her." "I came here because I heard Hikaru-nii mention that he was going to Hakodate." She replied, beaming as she looked at the small mountains. "I wanted to visit this place."

Hikaru said, "Next time, ask me. If it wasn't for the scarf, I would've thrown a knife at you." He admonished her while she apologized.

"We're here." Ashley said.

"Good."

"Say, Hikaru, what is the job now?"

"Simple. There is intel that a noble is cooperating with the police and some drug distributors in exchange for drugged Japanese women and girls. I think you understand what that drug is and why he chose women and girls."

"Bastard!" Tsurara muttered, realising the meaning behind his words. "Now, we have to find evidence. Strong evidence. Then we throw the noble into jail or kill him and then kill all the co-conspirators. Then we admit the victims to a hospital. However, the last part will be different. I will be admitting them to **Maelstrom Corporations Hospital**."

"Hikaru-nii, isn't that run by you?"

"Figured it out, huh?" He asked rhetorically. "Yeah. I'm the head of Maelstrom Corporations. And if we admit them to the hospital run by Maelstrom Corp., then we can provide them proper care. The hospital is located near Tokyo so we have to arrange transport for them."

He then ran a final check over the Knightmares.

"Tsurara, while we are investigating for evidence, I want you to stay close to me, at all times. Understood?" "Hai, Hikaru-nii." "Good. Let's go."

 **1 hour later**

"God, this is tiring." Ashley muttered as he looked over the files.

"All the evidence points towards him but nothing is incriminating enough."

"Lelouch-san is right." "Tsurara, pass me those files, from 12 to 15."

 **2 hours later**

"Nice to meet you, Lord Darius Dung. I am Hikaru Alaina, Grand Duke Valdstein."

The brown haired man sweated as he looked at the man.

"Welcome to my mansion, my lord."

"Sorry for intruding. We were in the area and thought it good to meet you." "Ah, it's no problem." 'If there was a problem, then I could easily have you framed, Dung. And you know it.' Hikaru thought wickedly, a smirk on his face.

As their target led them into the house, Hikaru's sharp senses picked up cries of pain and anguish. Ashley also heard the same and nodded slightly. Hikaru activated his Geass as a precaution and heard the voices clearly. "Sis, sis! Wake up, sis!"

His eyes turned cold as he walked towards the staircase in the middle and past it, going deeper towards the source of the voice where a metal door blocked him. He placed his hand on the door while activating his Geass. The door suddenly blew apart as the lightning seemed to explode at the point. The others who had followed him covered their nose as the foul stench of decaying corpses, blood and many other smells filled the room. Hikaru scanned the room with his Geass. 'Only one girl is still alive. But…' He looked at the girl who was shouting for her now dead sister to wake up. Hikaru stepped before Tsurara, blocking her view. He then walked inside slowly, his black combat boots now dyed red from the blood as he walked towards the young girl, who was no more than 11 or maybe 12.

"NO! STAY AWAY! DON'T HURT US ANYMORE!"

Hikaru winced as she screamed in fear before kneeling down, getting to her eye level.

"I will not hurt you. I promise. Can you tell me what happened here?" He asked as gently as possible, making no sudden moves. Ashley held the noble in a painful hold as Hikaru asked the little girl. The young girl as hesitant.

"How about we start with our names? I'm Hikaru. The girl there is my sister Tsurara. The two over there are Lelouch and Ashley."

The girl's black eyes were trained on the figure before her, a girl a year older than her, probably her sister, was lying in a pool of blood, her once beautiful red eyes now lifeless. Hikaru almost growled as he realised the state of the clothing and the faces of the people in the room. 'They are all Japanese. But the girl is able to speak and understand English. Maybe they were conditioned as slaves.'

"K-Ku-Kurome…"

"Kurome? That's a beautiful name. Kurome, can you tell me what happened here?" He immediately noticed her looking with fear at Darius. Hikaru said in a comforting voice, "Don't worry, Kurome. He won't hurt you. I promise."

She then slowly but surely told him everything. "He hurt us repeatedly. He did something and it hurt me very much. But he did it again and again. He hurt my sister too. He also beat us. Sometimes, other men used to come here. And they too hurt us." She paused for a bit before continuing. "That man beat me. My sister tried to protect me. He hit her and kicked her. My sister was screaming but no one helped us. She stopped moving and is not speaking, even though her eyes are open. Do you know what happened to her?! Please make her talk to me! Is she angry that he hit her instead of me? Please tell me!"

Blue eyes widened as the truth hit them hard. 'S-she doesn't even recognise that she was raped and her sister, everyone else apart from her in this room, is dead. She was an innocent girl. And her innocence was stolen from her.' In a resigned voice, he said, "Lelouch, don't let Tsurara see this." He then turned to the girl before him. "Kurome, would you like to talk to your onee-chan **(9)** once again?"

"Really?! Will she talk to me?!" His resolve almost broke at the look in her eyes. He spoke in a fake voice, "Of course, close your eyes for some time. I will tell you when to open them."

She immediately closed her eyes as he took his gun, pointing it right between her eyes. "I'm sorry." He muttered before a single gunshot rang out in the room. Hikaru shakily put the gun away as the body of the girl fell to the ground. He took a photo of the full room and saved it along with the conversation he had recorded.

He walked towards Darius Dung, his eyes cold and his voice filled with venom. He flipped out a knife, walking towards the shaking man.

 **3 hours later**

"Cornelia, run damage control. I want funds prepared."

" _Funds? For what?"_

"The Hakodate Settlement will be destroyed. Along with everything inside it. There are terrorists. But it's not Japanese, the terrorists are Britannians and all the nobles there are supporting their actions. This is corruption to the core. I am destroying Hakodate by tonight. With or without your authorisation."

He hung up and entered the Gardien, activating the Reaper.

"Lelouch, Tsurara, stay here, out of range. Ashley, no prisoners, nothing. Even if anyone surrenders, kill them."

"Understood, sir." Ashley said in a solemn voice as the three Knightmares exited the Fafnir.

The explosions and screams continued through the evening into the night as the massacre continued. In the end of everything, the streets were dyed red as blood was flowing like a river.

"Mission complete. Return to base." Hikaru ordered.

That day, the Hakodate Settlement was destroyed as it was dyed red from a massacre. Everything went up on flames as the Fafnir left the scene.

 **Next day**

"General Alaina, please state your reason for such a hasty and unnecessary action."

"General, is it true that you are personally responsible for the destruction of the Hakodate Settlement last night?"

Hikaru was stone-faced as he faced the onslaught of questions. Beside him, Euphemia, Cornelia, Guilford and Darlton sat at the table while on Hikaru's right sat Schneizel, while behind Euphie stood her four Knights.

Finally, Hikaru answered, "Yes. I was personally responsible for Hakodate. I gave the order and I was the one who mainly carried out the massacre. The evidence of the involvement of every Britannian, here."

He played a video clip which showed a badly messed up Darius Dung chained and bleeding. _"The list is true. All the nobles are working alongside the terrorists. They are also in on the room with that girl."_

A single bullet in his forehead ended his life. _"You disgusting scum should just die."_

"As you can see, all the people in the Hakodate Settlement, the civilians, the police, the military, the administration, all of them were running illegal businesses. Therefore, they had to be executed."

"Then, was there no one innocent?" Schneizel asked from beside him calmly.

"One girl. I killed her with my own hands, with my own gun." He said.

"It seems that there is a story to it."

"You will understand after you listen to this."

He played the audio clip. There were many gasps of shock as they heard the sickening cruelty. Some of them almost vomited. The photo appeared at the end.

"The girl in the clip is the one lying at the front, with her eyes closed."

As they focused on the picture, murmurs of "She's an Eleven." and "For a worthless Eleven?" travelled in the press room.

The Black Dragon growled in anger at the remarks while Schneizel muttered, "A mercy killing…."

"General Alaina, there are doubts on your ability to perform your duties correctly as the public believes that you have wrongly accused and killed and destroyed a whole Settlement for a few worthless Elevens. What are your thoughts on thi-?"

BANG

Hikaru Alaina was glaring at the reporter who had asked the question, the mic he was holding clearly destroyed by the bullet he had fired. His hand was shaking in anger as he spoke with venom. "That's enough out of you."

He then glared at the whole crowd of reporters and indirectly at the camera and the hundreds of people watching the live telecast.

"Worthless Elevens? The public? To hell with the stupid public!" He repeated as he looked at the photo of Kurome. "Let me ask you a question. I am asking this question to the whole of Japan. I'm sure everyone must be having a granddaughter, a daughter, a sister, a niece, a cousin, anything. If the she thing happened to them, would you not want justice? If what I did was wrong, then you seeking justice also is wrong. And did you even hear the audio properly? The poor girl didn't even know that she was violated. And she didn't even realise that her sister was dead. She was the only survivor in the whole room. For all we know, she could be in room from the start. The corpses had already started to decay. That means 36 hours at a minimum. She was in a living hell. She had to watch her sister die before her eyes! She had to go through a mercy killing and she didn't even know that she was going to die. Can you even understand that?! You can't. No one can understand her pain. So don't say anything about her. She bore the pain she felt all by herself. If you still want to insult her, you will die, right here, right now. I won't hesitate in killing people like you, especially ones who insult and berate others, even the dead, without e en having an inkling of an idea of the pain they went through."

He turned towards the reporter who had his mic shot at. "You asked if I was in the right mental state. To put it bluntly, I am not crazy or insane. Now, anyone has any more questions?"

He turned to leave but was stopped by Schneizel. "Hikaru, I am asking this as a friend of yours. If the court gives the verdict that they were innocent, what will you do?"

"Everyone here knows that they are far from innocent. And as far as I know, no one is left of the nobles there who can give a strong argument that all the evidence was not real and even remotely threaten the judge and jury. To put it simply, there is a chance of 99% that they are guilty. Anyway, even if the court gives the verdict, well, to be extremely blunt in this case, the court be damned to hell, I don't care."

He then jumped into the Gardien. "Where are you going?" Euphemia asked.

"To do something I have to. I need to at the very least bury and mourn the dead."

 **Black Knights base**

"He destroyed a Britannian Settlement for the sake of Japanese." Kallen muttered as she watched at the press meet.

Meanwhile, Lelouch as Zero was watching the whole press meet with a smile at Hikaru's words. 'He will gain the support of many Japanese and maybe Britannians too. But what about Kyoto? He is a Sumeragi and he is also a heir to the Sumeragi house. He could easily take over it, and then if he removes the Sumeragi house from Kyoto, then that's a problem.'

"Tch, this guy is just some actor. There's no way a Britannian would destroy a Settlement on his own."

"Tamaki, everything he said is true. And he can destroy a Settlement easily." Kallen said, remembering the brief time the Guren and the Gardien clashed against each other at Narita. "He is strong. And he is kind too. He risked his life to protect a Japanese and even got a serious injury to prove it."

"It seems that we have to change our views and plans related to Hikaru Alaina." Zero announced.

 **Ashford Academy**

"So this is what is left of Ashford Academy." Hikaru muttered.

"Sorry, but I am gonna have to demolish this building."

"Huh? Why?" Milly asked, astonished at the Vice-President's words.

"The building is damaged. Trying to repair the damage caused will be more expensive and practically not feasible compared to building a new one. And with a new one, I can have a small hangar built for Knightmares, in case of an emergency like this one. I also want to build a new security system, along with proper housing facilities. The old dorms are in a bad condition, no doubt due to the oh-so-high-and-noble idiots here. I want at least the Japanese and other Honorary Britannians who study here to have some semblance of a good housing facility, with the discrimination they are facing. And better lockers, not only for us but for all of the students. Naturally, mine will be a bit more advanced along with Yukiya's coz we hide our weapons there. I will also have a secret cabinet built in the clubhouse, ballroom, Student Council room, my class and your class. And the pool and the space for the recreational activities and the clubs, everything needs to be improved. Also, the lockers for the Honorary Britannians will be built in a separate place so that no one can vandalise their lockers. That is the basic outline of what I would like to do. Is that acceptable, Principal Reuben?"

The old man looked at him before saying, "I don't have anything against it, but, young boy, are you sure that you can fit it in the budget?"

"We can always take some money from my account. It was me who suggested everything after all."

He then turned to Milly. "Oh, and I want you to oversee the work. My assistant Edith will be coming here to oversee it and she will help you. Most probably, Schneizel or Euphemia will come here. I want to avoid them meeting with Lelouch and Nunnally."

"I understand."

"Well, looks like have to get to work." He took his laptop, quickly going through many files. "Okay, the plans are all there."

He then took his phone. "Edith, get Daniel Mercer for me. I want the construction of the new Ashford Academy finished before 3 months."

" _He's coming there, boss. I think his car will be visible any minute now."_

"Ok. Thanks." He then looked at the entrance, finding a blue sports car and sighed.

"Daniel, I want the things I listed as soon as possible. And I want the construction of the academy started and completed as soon as possible. Use whatever funds you need. Don't compromise on the quality."

The blonde man before him only smiled as his blue eyes darted over to the building.

"Hmm… once the whole building is cleared, I will take a tour of everything and plan the constructions accordingly. Based on the materials and the plan, I think we can finish everything with two weeks to spare for the opening."

"Good. I don't expect anything but if Pre here doesn't find it satisfactory along with Principal, then that car is back." He threatened, making his green eyes widen.

"I will make sure that the beautiful lady is satisfied along with the good Principal!"

He chuckled inwardly before he said, "Good. I need to go then. It's been some time. I need to blow off some steam."

"Meaning?"

"Just another way of saying I am going to clean up some terrorist groups."

He then left without another word as he entered the Gardien and took off.

"Today was a major screw up. I need to do many things if I am to protect the Wyverns and Ashford. For now, not many groups know of the location of Weisswolf. But people will start to talk and that is when it becomes dangerous. So, I need to become stronger. I guess that with today, I have a chance of cooperating with Kyoto to support the Japanese. And let's see what the Emperor does. If he leaves me alone, that's good. But with how the recent actions are going, I can't bet much on that. So, I will have to become stronger." His eyes glowed blue as the sigil of Geass appeared in his left pupil while the Narukami sword glowed the same blue as the eyes of the dragon glowed with lightning dancing across the blade. The sheath itself gained a blue dragon made of lightning.

"I will become stronger and I will protect my family!"

XXXXXXXXXX

 **All right. Longest chapter right now, I guess. Finally, Hikaru's mother's family name is revealed.**

 **I guess that some of you may have had doubts that Hikaru was a half-Japanese. Well he is like Kallen in that regard.**

 **For clarification, Setsuna and Shizuka Sumeragi married William and Samuel Alaina, meaning a double marriage, I guess. So, both Hikaru and Tsurara are half-bloods. And Hikaru is the first son of the first-born daughter of the Sumeragi house, so rightfully, he is the heir to the Sumeragi but right now, Kaguya is the head.**

 **In this chapter, we saw a bit more of Hikaru's personality, along with a bit cruel and sadistic tendencies. He also seemed like he wanted to pick fights. This is explained by him perceiving Ashford as an important place and almost a home. So he was angry when the place was attacked. And he was angry at Tohdoh and his group from Narita. That's the cause of the insults. And about the Code and the Geass, I believe that they are opposite things, at least in Hikaru's case, he wants the power to protect his family and that's the root of his Geass. Code takes away that so he rejected the Code. And his personality can be seen clearly here. He killed lots of people, Britannians, and even destroyed the Settlement, without any remorse as he saw the innocent people being hurt. That is the Wyverns' goal, kill anyone who hurts the innocents.**

 **If you didn't know who the two girls were, they are Akame and Kurome from Akame ga Kill. Now, next chapter will be the meeting of Kyoto with the Black Knights along with Hikaru and Tsurara meeting with Kaguya.**

 **Please Review**

 **-HikaruAlaina**

 **P.S. :**

 **A/N Bookmarks**

 **1 - Little sister**

 **2 - Big brother**

 **3 - Aunt**

 **4 - Princess**

 **5 - Sorry**

 **6 - Mother**

 **7 - Thanks**

 **8 - Big brother (more respectful way)**

 **9 - Big sister**

 **From this chapter, I will use some bookmarks where required and give the translations at the end. Just FYI.**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 16 is published and I am starting on Chapter 17 on the same day (Kudos). This chapter will be mostly non-action but there may be a little bit of action here and there. This will be mostly about the meeting with Kyoto, from both the Black Knights and the Wyverns.**

 **The time is after the battle of Narita.**

 **Chapter 17**

 **Enter Anya! The Discovered Identity, A New Power**

 **Administration Room, Government Bureau, Tokyo Settlement**

A blue-haired teenager sat in the seat, inwardly cursing at the people in the room. Beside him sat Euphemia and Schneizel. Opposite to him were Cornelia, Guilford and Darlton.

"These ministers are just useless." He muttered under his breath, before reading all the files.

"Princess, with your victory at Narita, we have establis-"

"Get to the point!" Cornelia snapped at the man.

"Viceroy, I have read the reports of the Sub-Viceroy. There have been discrepancies in the funding." Hikaru said, his face a mix of seriousness and boredom.

"What do you mean?" "The funding for the rebuilding of Shinjuku and Saitama… though Maelstrom Corp. is undertaking the work, they have requested for some funding. The Sub-Viceroy agreed along with the Prime Minister. However, there is a loss of about 15% of the total funding which was promised."

"He is correct, Cornelia. I too have noticed that there is something going on." Schneizel agreed with Hikaru.

"However, I did some digging and found out who was responsible for this." He turned to one of Clovis' old advisors. "You, Whittaker, you are in charge of the finance. However, I noticed a sudden increase in your bank account, the same as the 15% which we didn't receive. I know for a fact that there was no stupid lottery and no one you know gave you any money. So, I would like to ask that you kindly return the money you stole to Maelstrom Corp., immediately."

"What are you insinuating?! I am a nob-"

"I don't care. You have exactly 2 minutes." As the man continued to spew excuses and insults, Hikaru sighed.

"Time up. Yukiya, start the transfer."

" _Okay, leader. I am transferring 50%."_

"Alright."

This exchange went unnoticed by many except the two Royals sitting beside him.

Suddenly, Whittaker shouted in anger. "You thief! You stole my money!"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hikaru asked innocently.

"My account! More than a million dollars have vanished from my account!"

"I didn't do anything. I was just sitting here and reading the reports." He countered.

"Now, your time is up. I have evidence too that you stole the money. I don't accuse someone without evidence."

The man paled as he looked at the evidence. "And now, you owe Maelstrom Corp. the money. Please return that money."

Hikaru stayed calm before saying, "If you do not, I can file a case against you and you will be judged guilty. And then, your money and noble rank will be lost. You will be thrown into jail and your family onto the streets."

 **15 minutes later**

"That was quite clever of you." "Whatever do you speak of, Prince Schneizel?" Hikaru asked in the same innocent voice.

"Seems like your hacker is very good."

"Yukiya can even hack into the Lancelot, the security at the bureau or even the personal computers of the Royals, specifically you, Cornelia, Euphemia, and any others that keep their computers for work use. Right from his home room."

"Anyway, we are slowly recovering from the disaster at Narita."

"Minister, I heard rumors and also there were reports of an Eleven self-government, called the NAC."

"Y-yes, General. It was on Prince Clovis' orders. The foremost rule of Britannia is that Numbers themselves should take care of their own kind."

"Kyoto is suspected to support and back multiple terrorist groups."

"But if we remove the NAC, then the Elevens' already low economy will fall."

'He has a point. If the Japanese can't raise their economy to an acceptable level, then the whole area will fall.'

"You know, there is a word for people like you who cannot get anything done." Hikaru said coldly. "Incompetent."

He then turned back to the files he was looking through.

"Anyway, next is the replenishment of the forces."

He then laid a file on the table. As one of the ministers was about to pick it up, he glared at the man, making him step back in fear.

"This file concerns only the Prime Minister, Viceroy, Sub-Viceroy and Generals." He said coldly as he gave a file to each of them.

"You want to transfer the Lancelot and its pilot to your Wyverns unit?"

"Yes. He has talents but not given much of a chance. So if he joins my unit, he can put them to use. Also, I have one more member joining today."

Hikaru then discussed about the pros and cons of each idea with the others and this process continued for hours before a decision was reached.

"Fine. We will allow you to take command of any operation in case of an emergency, and you also get Kururugi under your command."

"Thank you."

He then stood up, giving a slight bow.

"If that is all, then I will take my leave."

He then disappeared.

 **Black Knights Base**

"Zero, for you." Ohgi Kaname handed a letter to him.

"Hmm… what's this?" The masked prince asked, taking the letter.

"A love letter." Joked the man.

"I didn't think you had that sort of feelings for me."

"It's a letter from Kyoto." Ohgi said in a serious tone.

"Kyoto wants to meet us? I don't think that is necessary."

"Wait. This is Kyoto we are talking about! If we join up with them, then we can get materials, Knightmares, weapons and intelligence too. It will also solve our financial crisis."

"Financial crisis? You shouldn't have any problem if you followed the budget plan I provided."

"Everything was going well, until a certain someone decided that it was a good idea to treat the newbies with expensive food using the organisation's money." Kallen said, glancing at Tamaki with a disappointed tone.

"Hey!"

"Well, Minami will be in charge of the finances from now on."

"Hey wait! I am the one in charge of handling the money!"

"Then show me results!"

He then turned towards the others. "Well then, we will answer their summons." Zero said with a flourish of his cape as he left the room, telling them to be prepared for the meeting.

 **Weisswolf**

The Gardien landed and the pilot jumped down from the cockpit, only to find his sister staring at him, pouting.

"You're late, Hikaru-nii."

"Sorry. But there were some nuisances. So, what happened to the transfer?"

"We got everything. Now, we have 150% of the original funds." Tsurara replied brightly.

"Good."

He then asked her in a whisper, "Did you get into contact with Kaguya?"

"Yes. She will meet us on this Saturday, at 10:30 in the morning. She will be at Mount Fuji.

We can bring a Knightmare if we want."

"Then it's settled. You are coming with me in the Gardien. Don't let anyone know about it. We have only 1 and a half day to meet her."

"Hai, Hikaru-nii."

He then patted her on the head, ruffling her hair as she pouted.

"Mou, Hikaru-nii, I worked hard to do my hair." She shouted in a joking manner.

He apologized as he fixed her hair, while telling her about the meeting.

"Wait. Kururugi is coming? Then won't he suspect you?"

"I know. I have my methods."

Hikaru then turned towards the door as someone entered. "Anna, what is it?"

"The new recruit is here. I mean, she is at the airport. Should I send Yukiya or Ashley to get her?"

"No need. I will get her myself. Tsurara, you are coming too."

"Eh? Watashi **(1)**?"

"You are a far better judge of character than me." He said as he entered the cockpit of the Gardien,helping Tsurara. She sat in his lap comfortably, lying down on his chest so as to not obstruct his view of the monitor.

He turned the speakers on and spoke. _"Anna, make sure that the crew doesn't destroy the building. And don't let Milly near any equipment or files or into any of our rooms. Understood?"_

"Yes, leader."

The Gardien activated its Float System and entered a stance as it flew, the black wings almost pulsing from the energy.

 **Tokyo International Airport**

"This is Tower 3. We have an unidentified Knightmare Frame approaching. Halt there and identify yourselves."

The pilot of the unidentified Knightmare opened an audio communication channel and said, _"This is General Hikaru Alaina of the Wyverns."_

"G-Ge-General Alaina, sir!"

" _I would like to land my Knightmare near the tower to receive a subordinate as I received information that her plane is going to land any moment now. Is that okay with you?"_

"B-by a-all mea-means, sir! You can land the Knightmare beside Tower 3."

The Gardien then landed on the ground, its wings disappearing.

 **30 minutes later**

"So, Tsurara, what are your first impressions on her?"

"She seems like a good girl. But I have a feeling that if given a chance, she will betray you for power. Maybe if she had a chance, she would become a Knight of Round at the drop of a hat." Hikaru almost chuckled at the answer before saying, "So I have to be careful with her."

"Hai." "Anyways, get into the car. The Gardien will be hovering above us. You will ride next to me."

"Of course! I will kick her and break her jaw if she tries to steal my spot!"

As the blonde walked back towards them with a suitcase in her hand, Hikaru sighed. "Seriously, Tsurara, are almost all the girls like the ones at school? Idiotic, backstabbing, power-hungry and greedy?" He asked rhetorically as she got into the car.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru sat in the Gardien, Tsurara in the same position as from few days before. "So, where should we meet?"

"Go to these coordinates. That's what she said."

She typed in a set of coordinates into the console and the Gardien went into auto-pilot mode as Hikaru let go of the controls. He then got to talking with her, while reclining back into the chair. "Tsurara, you do know that you are now a member of the Wyverns, right? Along with Lelouch? You both are my personal assistants and answer directly to me. You are also the next in command if I am not present. Lelouch will be our strategist. Leila is good at command but Lelouch is the best of us all. I am above Leila and he is above me."

"Wakatta **(2)** , Hikaru-nii!" She answered enthusiastically, turning around to kiss him on the cheeks, unknowingly pressing her body against him.

"Where are your men?"

"They are patrolling to check if the area is safe. Now…" His left eye slot slid open as he commanded. "... **I need you to do something for me**."

The sigil flew from Lelouch's eyes to the man's as his face became a blank stare while another Zero stepped out from behind Lelouch.

 **10 minutes later**

The Black Knights sat into the car as it moved forward. Meanwhile, at the same time, the Gardien with Hikaru and Tsurara in it was being escorted by a group of Burai to their destination. Hikaru smirked as Tsurara whispered in his ear, "Hikaru-nii, these guys think they can stop your Knightmare with these Burai."

"Yep, imouto. They are baka **(3)** , that is what I can tell. I am pitying Kaguya-hime right now."

The girl laughed cheerfully as she heard his comment.

"You speak the truth, O Great Black Dragon." She said jokingly.

Hikaru laughed in unison with her.

 **15 minutes later**

"Where are we?"

The Black Knights looked out the window to see a mountain lined with a mining industry machinery.

" ."

"Man, Kyoto's power runs deep."

"Do you know what they do to trespassers here? They are… executed."

"Really, this is amazing."

"It is repulsive!" An old voice shouted. "It is a symbol of the oppression of the Japanese!"

The Black Knights turned around to find two armed men in suits standing on the two sides of a man covered by a screen.

"I apologize for not showing my face. But you too do the same thing, Zero. However, for us to trust you, we have to learn your identity!"

 **Meanwhile**

The Gardien stopped in its path and Hikaru and Tsurara stepped out of the cockpit. Hikaru jumped down and caught Tsurara bridal style before setting her down.

A young girl of 14 was sitting behind a screen. She was wearing a pinkish blouse with detached white sleeves and a red miniskirt. The sleeves made her clothing reminiscent of a furisode **(4)**.

Hikaru and Tsurara walked forwards, walking past the guards without sparing them another glance. Immediately, guns were leveled at them by the guards who surrounded them.

Hikaru drew a katana and slashed in a circle. The clang of a barrel falling down echoed in the large room as the barrels of the handguns fell down. "Just so you know, I could kill all of you guards in mere seconds." He warned coldly before he continued walking towards the screen.

A young female voice spoke calmly, "Guards, leave the room."

"B-but Sumeragi-sama! He is-"

"That is an order, not a request." She said with a tone of authority.

As soon as the last guard left the room, along with the Burai, leaving Kaguya alone with Hikaru, Tsurara and the Gardien, the screen was blown away.

Kaguya hugged him tightly, her arms wrapping around him. "I finally met you after a long time, Hikaru-sama **(5)**!"

Hikaru and Tsurara sighed at the same time. "Kaguya-hime, I thought that I told you not to refer to me as master. I am your equal and your onii-san." He chided gently, hugging her back. "But you are Hikaru-sama to me! You saved my life!" "Just leave it, Hikaru-nii. She won't change her way of speaking."

They sat down on a blanket and she started talking to him animatedly, not even leaving Hikaru's side as she hugged his arm tightly.

Tsurara was sitting beside him on the other side, hugging his other arm.

The three Sumeragi siblings talked about different things for some time.

Suddenly, Kaguya leaned in close to Hikaru as she observed his left eye closely.

"Hikaru-sama, what happened to your eye?" "Huh? What do you mean, hime?" He tried to act nonchalant.

"Do not play dumb, Hikaru-sama. I know that something is wrong. Your pupil, there is something in it. Almost like a bird, blue."

Tsurara sighed as she heard the words of her younger sister.

"Hikaru-nii, just tell her. She won't leave you alone without knowing the answer and she won't stop. She's too perceptive."

After some relentless pestering, Kaguya seemingly gave up. She then looked at him, her eyes shining slightly from tears as her lower lip was quivering. Hikaru stared at her before caving in. Meanwhile, Tsurara giggled at Hikaru's reaction.

"Hmm… so Hikaru-nii cannot resist the Sumeragi Innocent Girl Look."

Kaguya and Tsurara laughed at their brother's expense while he grumbled, "There is no such thing."

His voice then took a serious tone as he spoke, "Kaguya, Tsurara, I want you to promise me one thing. You will not say anything of what I speak now to anyone, unless I say so. This is very important and also very dangerous."

The two sisters looked at each other before nodding.

He then told them everything about Geass and Code, also telling them about the future. They listened intently as he told them everything, not daring to interrupt him.

"Wait, Hikaru-sama. You said that Kururugi Suzaku and that Krush-something girl would betray you. Then why?"

"I let them to keep an eye on them. They are talented, that I can say without a doubt. What I want to do is essentially cripple them, because one, I already eliminated many terrorist groups and the members, the W-0, are in tune with my techniques. So we have good teamwork. And the tech division, they are experts when it comes to the Alexander series, the Reaper series and the Dragoon series. So I will simply have to give Krushevsky a customised Gloucester like the Ashra Squad and have Kururugi get the upgrades from the Camelot, knowing Lloyd, they won't be much. Whereas our Knightmares will get upgrades."

"So, in short and putting it terms of an anime, your Alexander, Reaper and Dragoon will be OP **(6)** when compared to those two traitorous idiots." Tsurara said.

"Right."

They then talked about many things before a call from Leila interrupted them.

"Leila?"

" _Hikaru, there is a message from Cornelia. She wants us to come to Yokosuka."_

"The port?"

" _There is intel that General Katase and some forces of the JLF are escaping by sea along with a container of liquid sakuradite."_

"What are the specifics?"

" _They want us to be there as support. Annihilate all stragglers on the deck. Only the target, is to be left alive."_

"So she wants us to kill he JLF except Katase. Tell her that we won't accept the mission. She can take the two newbies if she wants."

" _Kururugi and Krushevsky?"_

"Just trust me."

" _Understood. Will you be coming home tonight as planned?"_

"Hmm…" He looked at his two sisters. "No. I and Tsurara are meeting my family. So I will just stay with them a little longer. Can you hold on until then?"

" _O-of course! But just call us when you return. The base is in Lockdown Mode, just for safety."_

"Alright. Bye."

Not a moment later, two squeals were heard before the two of them tackled him to the ground. "Ow! Tsurara, hime, get off me!" He shouted in surprise and mock anger before rolling around.

He then stood up and asked, "Kaguya, there is no one from the Sumeragi house we are close to, right?"  
"Hai, Hikaru-sama."

"Then, looks like we have the day to ourselves." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. He then heard the sounds of Knightmares being attacked below before entering his Knightmare.

The two entered after him, making it quite uncomfortable before Hikaru blasted through the floor to the level below.

 **Kirihara and Black Knights**

"Which one of you is Ohgi?"

"H-hai!"

"You shall remove Zero's mask."

"Ohgi-san!"

"Sorry Zero. But, please give us a reason to trust you." The Japanese man said as he removed the mask, only to reveal CC.

"A woman?"

"No, she is not Zero. She was with Zero after Narita!" Kallen shouted.

"You there, girl, is this correct?" The man behind the screen asked.

"Yes."

"Then you are not Japanese?"

"Correct, Clan Chief of Kyoto, Kirihara Taizo." The guards gasped before pointing their guns at the group.

"Anyone who can identify him must die!"

"Especially someone who is not Japanese!"

As the Burai pointed their weapons at the group amidst panicked cries, one of the Burai fired its Slash Harkens at two of the Knightmares opposite to it while attacking the third with its Stun Tonfa. It then pointed the gun in its hand at the screen. Suddenly a black Knightmare burst through the roof of the big room, its black wings pulsing and the blue guns ready to fire.

It pointed the guns at each of the Burai, while pointing two cannons at the other two.

One of the Burai's pilot, the one which attacked, spoke, _"What a honor to have the Black Dragon here. However, I do have to ask why you are here."_

" _Shut it. Zero. I came here today as Hikaru Alaina Sumeragi, not as the Black Dragon. You should just show your face to Kirihara-dono. You and I both know what will happen.'_

The Burai passed him, unhindered, stopping before the screen.

" _Guards, move away from the screen and stand along with the Burai."_

"What?!" _"Unless you wanted to be blasted by electricity, fired at by a hyper-velocity cannon, burned with a sakuradite-powered flamethrower, destroyed without a trace by a Hadron Cannon or Hadron Blaster, cut through by a sword or just simply squashed like a bug, you will do as I say."_ Hikaru said in a bored tone amidst two female giggles. He then exited the cockpit, standing before the screen along with Zero He spoke as he kneeled, "It has been a long time since I have seen you, Kirihara Taizo-sama."

"Hikaru Alaina."

"No. Hikaru Alaina Sumeragi. You know that as well."

"Yes."

"Anyway, Tsurara is with me. She is safe for now and happy too, I guess. I know that it was your decision to send Tsurara to Ashford."

"I may have been wrong."

"I am in Ashford. If need be, I will be there to make your wrong decisions right, Taizo-sama."

"I think it is time for Zero to show his face."

"You know his identity, Hikaru." He stated rather than asked.

"Of course." He replied as the masked man spoke, "You are soft, and your methods and thinking are outdated. That is why, you will never win." "Get to the point, Zero."

Not listening to him, the masked man continued, "Kirihara Taizo, founder of the Kirihara Industries which has a monopoly on Sakuradite mining. Formerly a key backer of the Kururugi Regime. However, when Japan fell, you dodged the tribunals by collaborating with the colonial rulers. Commonly known as Kirihara the Traitor. In reality, you are one of the leaders of the Six Houses of Kyoto, who support resistance groups throughout Japan. A double-agent. How cliche…" The three Sumeragi siblings chuckled as Zero talked. "It's as you guessed though, I, am not Japanese."

The Black Knights gasped at this. "That is why he couldn't show his face."

Meanwhile, Kirihara asked, "If you are not Japanese, why do you fight for Japan? What is it that you want?"

"The destruction of Britannia."

"And so do you believe that this is possible? That you can do it?"

"I can, because I must. I have reasons which compel me inexorably. I am glad I am dealing with you." He said as he removed his mask, showing his face to Kirihara Taizo.

"It's been a long time, Kirihara-dono." The old man's eyes widened at the face of the man.

"Is it really you? It's been eight years since that family received you as a hostage."

"Yes, and I appreciate you taking care of me."

"If I hadn't planned to come tonight, were you planning to take a messenger hostage?"

"Not at all. I came to ask for your help. That's all I am seeking from you."

"So the flower planted eight years ago has finally bloomed."

He laughed heartily as he spoke. "Ohgi!" "Yes?" The Japanese asked, nervous.

"This man is a true mortal enemy of Britannia! I urge you to follow Zero. If you do, we shall assist you generously, with intelligence and strategic support." "We thank you."

"I am grateful, Kirihara-dono." Lelouch spoke, turning around. Kirihara removed the screen. "Are you embarking on the path of blood?"

"Indeed, if that is my destiny." Lelouch said as he put on his mask.

Once the Black Knights had left, all the guards were withdrawn and Kaguya and Tsurara stepped out of the cockpit.

"Boy, you knew of Zero's identity already?"

"Yes. I know that. And I also know why he became Zero."

"Is his sister alive?"

"Why do you ask?" He drew Narukami and pointed the blade at him.

"If you intend to ever harm Nunnally or any of my family, then I will not hesitate in cutting down all of you, no matter how much you have helped me."

"Is Zero doing this for revenge?"

"He is doing this for his sister and her wish. It is also the reason I am not disclosing Zero's identity. A kind and gentle world. A world where Britannia won't wage wars. A world where hatred will not exist."

"Can such a world be created?"

"As Lelouch told, we will do it. Because we must."

His Geass activated as he spoke. "I have my reasons and this is the only way to protect my family."

He then took a letter and gave it to him.

"Taizo-sama, an invitation from me."

"An invitation?"

"Officially, it is an invitation to stay in my house, where we can monitor you, according to Cornelia. Unofficially, it's different. You and Kaguya can stay in my house. We get two benefits. Clear all the doubts on the NAC, which many people have. And also at the same time, create a secret alliance between us and you. With Maelstrom Corp. as the mediator."

"How can you get a hold of them?"

"Maelstrom Corp. is actually run by Hikaru-sama." Kaguya supplied.

"I created Maelstrom Corp. so that I can take care of the Japanese here. The discrimination, I can't stand it."

"I know. The products and merchandise sold by the Maelstrom Corp. are not only low-priced, but also available to all the Japanese and Britannians alike."

"That I know."

"Then the hospital which is famous for giving proper treatment to Refrain addicts…"

"Maelstrom."

"Then we support you. In what ways do you need support?"

"Funding. For the reconstruction of the ghettos. There are certain nobles who are planning to steal money. I have a hacker but I still need money if I want to build proper housing."

"I understand. Maelstrom Corp. will receive the funds after we sign the formal agreement."

"Arigatou, Taizo-sama."

He then left, going into the cockpit. "Kaguya will come with us before you to help in drafting the document. Once it is finished, we will send an escort for you with a Japanese pilot."

"Then I think we should thank you."

As the two girls entered the cockpit, he turned around, sheathing Narukami.

"Hikaru, what you are doing is extremely dangerous and almost like the actions of a-"

"A devil. But I am a dragon too."

"Yes. Then do you plan to embark on the path of the devil or on the dragon's path?"

"Let's see. How about the path of a devilish dragon? Not a devil or not a dragon but one with the qualities of both?"

"Both of them? Then are you planning on embarking on such a path, despite everything?"

He received a maniacal laugh with a feral smirk in return as Hikaru answered the question.

"Hikaru Alaina Sumeragi is already on that path and he cannot return anymore from that path."

With that, the Black Dragon disappeared along with the Knightmare.

 **2 days later**

"Cornelia, the document is finished." Hikaru said as he handed the document to her while Guilford stood behind her as her ever-loyal Knight.

"What is this? A seat on the Cabinet for one of the NAC?" She asked incredulously.

"That person will handle the reconstruction of the ghettos and also the amendment of the Honorary Britannian laws along with the laws pertaining to the Japanese."

"But a Cabinet seat is-"

"It is not too much, Guilford. I wouldn't add that into the document if it was. Besides, the NAC too will be sated with this. The member too is someone I know personally. And besides, we can;t gain everything and you know it, Cornelia."

"You have been showing far too much pity to the Elevens. First with Hakodate and second this."

Hikaru glared at the Knight before saying, "Really? Guilford, how many terrorists did I keep alive after coming here? I left Tohdoh and his group because the G-1 was under attack at Narita. Apart from that, there is no one that I let escape. And my team protected the whole town, without a single Britannian or Japanese casualty, which none of you managed to do. What did you think, announce and they will evacuate? You have to threaten and force them if needed." As they flinched, he continued, "And what about Saitama? You killed innocent civilians and destroyed the ghetto! Why? To get the attention of some masked guy?! That is one of the most messed up actions ever. If we are hurting the innocent, then we are no better than terrorists, Cornelia."

They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in." Hikaru said, as Leila entered.

"Leader, we have finished all the plans for the renovation of Ashford Academy, including the underground. And we need the shipment of weapons for the Dragoon."

"I will get them done. Any more things?"

"Miss Kaguya Sumeragi is here for the talks."

"Have her seated in the living room." "The Student Council is there."

"Have her seated in an empty room and put surveillance."

"Understood." She left the room.

He turned back to Cornelia.

"What is this about Maelstrom Corp.? They are undertaking the reconstruction?"

"Sub-Viceroy Euphemia authorised it, along with the transfer of all Refrain addicts to the hospitals of Maelstrom Corporation so that they can get proper treatment."

"They are getting treatment." Cornelia said.

"Right. Just putting them in a room for a few days, giving them an I.V. along with sedatives, that too in semi-hygienic conditions, along with no caretakers, is treatment." He said sarcastically. "Refrain damages the brain. If no treatment is given, then they are good as dead or crippled. What I want to do is simply get them treatment and offer them proper jobs, deserving of their qualifications."

"That is what the Honorary Britannian system is for."

Hikaru sighed as he spoke into the intercom, "Have Tsurara come in."

A few moments later, Tsurara came in, dressed in formal attire.

"My sister, Tsurara Alaina Sumeragi, has been a classmate of mine for the past few years, from when I joined Ashford Academy. Do you know what happened the first day she joined?"

She was quiet and just stood behind him.

"One of the students, a Baron's son, threw a penknife at her face. If I hadn't stopped it, then she would have been injured."

"What could a penknife cause?" Guilford asked before a penknife was thrown at the couch on which Cornelia was sitting, stabbing into the comfortable material.

"Pull that out." Hikaru said as the bespectacled Knight tried to pull it out and finally accomplished it after some time.

"See the hole in that? That couch is thicker than normal human skin. And the amount of force I used is related to the material. The damage it would have caused is the same as now."

He then looked clearly at them with a serious look in his eyes. "If I hadn't stopped the knife, let me tell you what injuries would have been caused. She would have been stabbed in the cheek and through it, making it almost impossible for her to speak. Her eye would have been damaged, making her eyesight worsen. The worse case is blindness, permanent blindness. Because at that angle and the material of the knife, the optical nerves and other important parts would have been cut off and then there is nothing we could do. And the worst case is death by damage to the brain." They flinched as he continued. "And you know what? I had to then threaten them with knives, my noble and military status to take off some of the heat off her. That student came back with some 15 lackeys. I had to send her away to class and then broke their limbs, that too while holding back. And during gym class, someone had the bright idea of vandalising her locker and spray-painting her gym clothes and books. Since then, she uses a separate lockers. You know what the punishment for gym class is, right?"

"As of now, 30 laps around the track." Guilford informed.

"She had to run 50." He said. "He was out the next day. And she faces discrimination. I had to take several 'drastic' measures to stop it."

"Drastic?"

"The least drastic was stabbing someone with a tactical knife, because he knocked over a flower pot on her from the 3rd floor by 'accident' and those things hurt very much." He then said, "Tsurara, Kaguya is here. Can you…?"

"Understood, Hikaru-nii."

As she left, he spoke, "Now, Cornelia, tell me, is the Honorary Britannian system working? What the current system is doing is simply making them Britannians on paper. But in reality, they are still treated as Numbers. What use do we have of a system that doesn't work the way it is supposed to?"

"Then what do you propose?"

"Simple. Whenever a Refrain circle is busted, hand over all the victims to me and I will have them put into the rehabilitation program. The jobs they are given will be mostly in my company so you don't have to worry about discrimination."

"Ah, I almost forgot, Maelstrom Corp. is your company."

"Wrong, Cornelia. Maelstrom Corp. is the company of the Alaina family. Right now, there are only 3 living members from my family, so if anything happens to its current head, me, then those two will be given the position of the head of the company. But I digress. The Refrain addicts will be treated at one of the hospitals of Maelstrom and they can work at my company if they want to. And I also want to undertake the reconstruction of Shinjuku, Saitama and other ghettos, along with the damage done to Ashford."

"You are the sponsor of Ashford so you can do what you want with it. And the ghettos, if you don't do anything except waste the funds, then the contract will be given to another person."

"Don't worry. Daniel Mercer can get it finished. He and his men are loyal to Maelstrom. Now, the seat, Whittaker has proven himself incompetent. I want Kaguya Sumeragi to be offered the seat as my advisor. Normally, your permission isn't needed but because she is a half, we need permission."

The Viceroy of Area 11 sighed before saying in defeat, "I give up. Do what you want. But all responsibility pertaining to her will be yours."

"Of course."

"When can we expect the reconstruction to be finished?"

"Ashford's reconstruction is already started and the materials are here. Based on the conditions, materials used, machinery and the extra funding provided, the closest estimate is two months, give or take. The ghettos have to be surveyed, but based on what I saw, I think we have to demolish the ghetto before constructing it again. So that will take some time. About 8 months till all the ghettos are finished."

"All?" "Yeah. All. Not just Shinjuku and Saitama. But _all_ the ghettos. I already talked about it with Euphemia. Now, if that is all, then I need to deal with another stupid press meet about Hakodate and I will deal with it, alone, in my way."

 **1 hour later**

"Here we have, Hikaru Alaina, the Black Dragon of Britannia."

Hikaru only nodded and then asked, "Is this about my actions related to Hakodate?"

"Yes." The reporter before him said.

"And what of it?"

"Many people saw the evidence. However, some still believe that those were fabricated."

"Fabricated, huh? I would like to see them fabricate all that evidence, especially Darius Dung and that room."

"Some still find it hard to believe that you trusted the words of an Eleven over a Britannian noble."

"Didn't you hear? Darius Dung himself admitted that he and some other nobles were involved in illegal actions. And don't try and take me for a fool. I trust my logical judgement as much as my heart and emotions. Now, anything more?"

"What about the reconstruction of Hakodate?"

"After the reconstruction works of the ghettos are finished around Tokyo, then we will start with the other areas. Once everything is finished, Hakodate will be surveyed."

"Right. Now, about your judgement, there are rumors of filing a case against you. There are people still of the opinion that you placed an Eleven over the lives of Britannian nobles?"

"Hmm… let's see. You have two choices, yourself and a noble. I have both of you hostage. You have a gun with only one bullet in it. Your choices are to shoot the noble or to shoot yourself. What will you do?"

"Shoot the noble, of course."

"Well, there you have your answer. People treasure their lives over the lives of others'. The people you speak of, I guess they are mostly nobles. They believe that they will face the same fate. So, they are trying to bring me out of power. Well, bad news for you, I don't care. And about my judgement, I thought of what was right. I would have reacted the same way if it was a Britannian girl and the perpetrators were Elevens. I am not a sympathiser or something. I merely wish to stop terrorism and I will go with any method I can, not just stopping them after they act. If you can prevent terrorism, then that is better. Because killing terrorists after they bomb some place is pretty stupid compared to stopping people from turning to terrorism."

"Prevention is better than cure, am I correct?"

"Yes."

"Who is contracted for the reconstruction?"

"Maelstrom Corp. has been given the contract under the supervision of Sub-Viceroy Euphemia."

"I see. What about the Wyverns?"

"The Wyverns has been highly successful. Due to the combined actions of the Wyverns and Princess Cornelia's forces, the major terrorist groups in the area have been destroyed. However, the threat of terrorism is still present. We will not stop till the nation is cleansed of all the terrorist groups."

"Your determination is admirable, General. What about the fact that apart from a few, most of your major pilots are Eleven?"

"I do not care about birth or status. They are all capable pilots and soldiers. So them being Japanese is of little consequence. The Wyverns is a special unit formed under the Chancellor of Britannia and I was given command of everything pertaining to it. That is what I am doing."

"I see. Can you tell us a summarised version of what happened at Hakodate?"

"We arrived at Hakodate and visited Darius Dung. While he was distracted, we entered the room where the victims were locked. After hearing the confession of the only surviving victim, I interrogated him, making him spill everything. Then we killed him and set fire to his mansion. As the people started to become alert, we closed off all entrances. Or should I say, collapsed all the entrances. Then we bombed the buildings and killed the people using our Knightmares."

"That must have taken a lot of work. How many personnel were used?"

"Including me, only 4. The Knightmares used were 3. And the airship was also 1, mostly used for swift transport."

"W-what?!"

"The Wyverns' pilots are all strong and capable pilots. So they can handle the strain of the advanced Knightmares they use. After all, no use of a Knightmare which no one can use effectively. And the airships, the Fafnir is a scaled down and less armored, differently armed, version of the Lucifer, our flagship."

"Can we see where your base is located?"

"Many people know where Weisswolf is located. But no one has broken into it till now. It is one of the most highly armed buildings ever. However, the Fafnir and the Lucifer are our bases. The Weisswolf is mainly housing and used as a base for missions near the Settlement. However, I plan on changing that."

"Changing that?"

"Arm the Lucifer and Fafnir with different weapons and change its OS, so that one of the pilots can pilot it. While the other non-combatant members will stay at base."

"Is that possible?"

"Yes. It is possible and it can be done because it must be, for I do not plan on sacrificing any of my team members."

"There hasn't been a detailed report of what happened at Ashford. Can you give us the details?"

"Yes. It happened during a break, so most of the faculty and students were caught unawares. Apart from me, only 4 of the Wyverns were present. The attackers were members of the JLF, stationed in Kyushu. They had attacked after Narita, hearing of the death of Minamoto Suzuki. They came in large numbers, about 150 Knightmares, 5 linear cannons, and about 200 personnel."

"Why did they attack Ashford?"

"Mainly the location. Entry into the area is possible. And they had chosen a time when the Viceroy and her forces were not present. Ashford is not highly fortified like the Govt Bureau. And besides, there are students, not soldiers going there."

"What happened afterwards?"

"They used explosives to catch us off-guard. Seeing as we were unarmed, we submitted to them. One of our students was a prominent noble, supported by the Japanese and negotiated with them on the terms that none of the students and faculty were harmed. We then formulated a plan and executed it, prioritizing the safety of the hostages. In the meantime, we secured some weapons from a secret compartment I had built. And we split into two groups, taking out whatever hostiles we encountered."

"Surely, 5 soldiers alone can't take out that many soldiers."

"It would have been impossible, if not for the invention of this piece of technology." He showed them a long glove covered by the sleeves of his coat, which had some sort of metal wires at each of the fingers, along with slash harken shaped tips.

"Miniature Slash Harkens, charged with electricity. I used these, along with the cameras, to find out the positions of enemy forces and take them out. We had only one pair and had to use them effectively."

"How do they work?"

"Simple. Point your hand at the target and curl in your fingers on the buttons at the bottom. Once the button is pressed, the corresponding Slash Harken will be fired. Another button and the electric current will be released."

"I haven't seen any of these machines mass-produced though."

"They are still prototypes. And we have to work out some problems before they are mass-produced. But I digress, let's move on to the next topic."

This continued for a few minutes, with the reporter asking different questions and Hikaru answering them calmly, albeit a bit cheerfully.

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru knocked on the door and heard Schneizel's voice, "Enter."

He entered the room and saw quite an interesting sight. Euphie was playing with a grey cat with a spot around its eye, trying to set the cat on her sister. 'Wait, that is Arthur.'

Meanwhile, the purple-haired princess was trying to keep herself composed and not lash out. Schneizel was taking small sips of the tea, while his assistant Kanon Maldini stood behind him. They were currently having a fancy tea party, along with Prince Odysseus who was in his own home in Pendragon. 'Holograms, innovative. Live streaming along with AR and holograms to give this level of technology, guess it's Schneizel's work.'

As the royals turned to him, he said, "If I am interrupting you, then I could come in to submit these reports another time."

Immediately, Euphie and Odysseus both answered, "No, please join us. It's okay."

He debated internally for a few moments before he passed the documents to Kanon. "I think you would give them to Kanon anyway." He said as he sat beside Schneizel.

Arthur removed himself from Euphie's clutches, leaving a pouting pink-haired princess before settling itself beside Hikaru's arm. The teen had removed his gloves and was petting the cat, making it purr as he yawned.

"You're surprisingly good with animals." Odysseus commented from his screen.

"What? Should the Black Dragon only be a soldier, Prince Odysseus?" He asked rhetorically. "After all, I am still a teenager and a student at that. And animals seem to naturally like me."

"But I wanted to play with Arthur!" Euphie said.

"Hey, wait, on that note, how did you get Arthur here?"

"Suaku brought him here."

"Kururugi did? That's nice of him, I guess. Eliza is angry that he's been stealing her food."

He then turned to Schneizel. "Interesting piece of tech, Schneizel."

"Your gloves too. Might I have the chance to have them examined?"

"Um, the gloves actually don't have any electricity generating machines in them."  
"They use the electricity generated in the body, and also convert heat produced into electricity. In layman terms, the body is the power source."

"Yeah." Hikaru answered as his phone rang.

"I need to take this one." He said as he answered. "Leila?"

" _Bad news. Milly darted into your room."_ He almost did a spit-take but composed himself.

"What?!" _"And she locked the door."_

"Get Tsurara and unlock the door and get her out of my room! Threaten her with whatever you need to! Full authority!"

He hung up as Euphie asked, "By Milly, do you mean Milly Ashford?"

"Yes. I am referring to that she-devil of a president." He grumbled.

"Seems like there is a big story to that."

"Well, she had the entire school chase me to get me into a stupid cat costume. And she had the school chase the entire school this guy-" He picked up Arthur. "- with a kiss from the Student Council as a prize."

"Anyways, what happened to the reconstruction?"

"Daniel is working on it. But I can't get anything as proper incentive."

"Incentive?"

"That guy loves sports car more than his life, Schneizel. And the threat of taking his car back is already used many times."

"Buy him a new one."

"Yeah. I am the richest man in the world and I can buy an extremely expensive car with just a phone call." He said sarcastically.

"You are." Schneizel answered. "With the businesses of Maelstrom Corp., you can cripple the economies of all the countries in the world on a whim."

"Really?" He asked before sipping his tea.

Cornelia interrupted their discussion by placing a binder on the table.

"Euphie, I have selected candidates for your Royal Guard. Each of these soldiers has worked under me and is very loyal."

"Loyal to whom, Cornelia?" Schneizel turned his head to look at Hikaru.

"Loyal to whom? A Royal Guard should be loyal to the Royal themselves. Meaning, Euphie's Royal Guard should be loyal to Euphie. She should be able to trust them."

"They are all trustworthy! All of them are trained soldiers under my command!"

Hikaru sighed and then held out a hand for her to stop.

"Okay. Answer honestly. Out of Guilford and I, who is the better pilot and fighter?"

"You." Guilford answered for her.

"Since he answered that I am a better pilot and fighter, let's continue to the next question. Between the both of us, who would you rely on to have your back in the battlefield?"

"Guilford."

"Right. Why?" He smirked as realization dawned on her face.

"That's right. You trust him. Trust. That's the important thing between the Royal Guard. The Royal Guard are supposed to protect their master even by putting their lives on the line. They should know everything about their master. And they should be able to keep her not only safe but satisfied and happy." He then took the binder and looked at the names.

"All of these people were under your command in Jordan and the MEF. All of them are loyal to _you_. However, they don't know anything about Euphie except the basics, which many people know. They don't know anything about her personality."

"Her personality, you say?"

"Yeah. Euphie is kind to the Japanese. And she herself has been helping out in the ghettos along with me and the rest of the Wyverns. The people there admire her. Each time we go the reconstruction site, many of the children surround her asking her to play with them. She likes to do things like this. Now, these guys-" He showed the binder. "-each of them is ingrained with the policy that Numbers are below them. They discriminate against the Numbers. Now, what will happen when she goes into the ghetto with the Japanese? Her Royal Guard will keep them away, not letting them near her. She will be saddened at that obviously and what next?" He asked rhetorically. "If you want her to choose a Royal Guard, let her choose it by herself. If she wants help, she will ask. There are at least 3 Royals who will help her. And there is not a single Honorary Britannian in here. What is wrong with them?"

"I don't trust them to keep Euphie safe." She answered bluntly.

"Right. You trust people Euphie has never even met to keep her safe, but you don't trust people that Euphie may have met and empathises with to be unable to keep her safe." 'The hypocrisy of everything.'

"Honorary Britannians are not useless people. Take the Wyverns for example. Each of the Japanese pilots will be able to best your Royal Guard when they fight as a team or even beat the Glaston Knights themselves. I can bet everything on that."

"Now, now… stop this quarrel on such a pleasant occasion." Odysseus tried to pacify them.

"I'd really like to see that though." Schneizel said, clearly amused.

"The Glaston Knights under my command against the Japanese pilots under your command. Who will come out on top?" He thought out loud. "It will also double as a test of the skills of the pilots."

"Well, Schneizel, if you put it like that, then I can't refuse, can I?"

"Yes. And I am thinking of adding a pilot to the Wyverns' roster."

"Who?"

"Anya Alstreim."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Are you an idiot?"

"No."

"Then you are clearly insane."

"No, Ayano, I am not insane."

He sighed before Akito said, "So, me, Ayano, Yukiya and Ryo against 5?"

"Nope. It's a 5 vs 5."

At their puzzled looks, he pointed at himself. "Also a Japanese, duh."

A knock on the door brought them out of their discussion.

"Hikaru-nii, I brought the new pilot." Tsurara said, opening the door.

A pink haired girl followed her, about the same age as Kaguya, with reddish-pink eyes, nodded to them, taking a photo of the group with her phone.

"Recorded." She said in a monotone voice.

'What happened to her? She is not like the person from the Legion test. She was at least a little cheerful back then. But now, it's almost like she has no emotions. Wait, maybe Geass?'

Hikaru activated his Geass, controlling the electricity while focusing it on her.

A small red outline surrounded her eyes. 'Geass it is.'

Hikaru then activated his Geass fully, disappearing and reappearing behind the girl and knocked her out with a chop to the neck, while electrocuting her with a small charge.

"She's affected by Geass. I simply removed it." He explained as he caught her from falling.

"Unless her Geass is affecting her, she will wake up in a few moments." He said.

As if on cue, the girl twitched. He moved to his previous spot.

"What happened?" She asked, confused, and noticeably with more emotion in her voice.

"You spaced out for a second there, Anya." Hikaru said, in an extremely innocent voice. The others just stared at him, stupefied by his acting skills. 'He is a pro-actor.'

"Are you alright? You can introduce yourself when you feel alright." 'Yup, pro-actor.'

"N-no, I am alright. I am BGen. Anya Alstreim, transferred from the forces of Prince Schneizel el Britannia to the special unit Wyverns."

"Nice to meet you, Anya. I am Gen Sumeragi Hikaru Alaina, the leader of the Wyverns. The pilots in the order they are sitting are MajGen Hyuga Akito, BGen Kosaka Ayano, BGen Yukiya Naruse, BGen Sayama Ryo and BGen Ashley Ashra. Our commander is LtGen Leila Breisgau. The person standing behind you is Sumeragi Tsurara Alaina, my sister and one of the commanders. The bored looking teen over there is Lelouch Lamperouge, another of my commanders."

"They don't have ranks?" The new recruit asked.

"Well, they are not exactly enrolled in the military. But in this unit, they have the rank of LtGen. However, they will only join us on missions when required, seeing as many members of the squad are enrolled in Ashford Academy."

She looked intently at his face before saying, "I know you from somewhere."

"The Legion. 3 years ago. We met when we jumped into the train and entered the forest together as a group. We were separated when a grenade exploded near us, me and Leila separated from your group. And we met again in the tower. After the test, we went our separate ways. And this is the first time after the test that we met." Hikaru said.

"All the members of the group are here, in Tokyo. Leila is here. Carter, Gino, Sarah and Rei are now Euphemia's Knights and stay in the Viceroy's Palace. But anyways, what Knightmare do you use?"

Instead of answering, she gave him an envelope.

"Schneizel?" He read the letter.

 **Gen Hikaru Alaina**

 **Wyverns**

 **I will keep this short. You are to give the latest upgraded version of your Dragoon to the new member, BGen Anya Alstreim to use as her Knightmare, along with the upgrades, which have been enclosed in the envelope.**

 **Yours sincerely,**

 **Chancellor Schneizel el Britannia**

 **P.S.:I would like to see the look on your face when you read this letter though.**

Hikaru took the letter and then crumpled it.

"Ashley, get this letter, hold it and stand still while I burn this letter with the Gardien's flamethrower."

"Hell no! I will not let you make me a human barbeque!"

"Hikaru-nii, you can burn it in the fireplace." Tsurara said, taking the letter. "No. Keep the letter intact. I need to file all such letters. Give Leila the letter to file it, along with all the other formal documents and member profiles."

 **5 days later**

"Remind me why we are here again."

"Ashley, you are not needed here. Only five of us need to be and you are not one of them." Hikaru said as he changed into his pilot suit.

"Hikaru-nii, your Knightmare is ready."

"Thanks, Tsurara." He said, patting her head as he entered the Knightmare. "But who would have thought that you would be a genius at Knightmares?" He said, making her blush from embarrassment.

" _Hikaru, all the pilots are ready."_

" _So how are we gonna do it?"_

" _Good question, Ayano. Both Lelouch and Tsurara-san are good commanders, able to match Commander herself."_

"Hey Yukiya, why do you guys worry? We have three commanders on our side. All of them are extremely good at what they do. And our enemy commander is Schneizel, one of the most formidable strategist and tactician in Britannia. But he hasn't faced us. And even if we throw away all the tactics and strategies and just attack with brute force, we can win. Combined, our forces are stronger than the Glaston Knights."

" _But how are we going to fight?"_

" _How about each of us takes one-on-one?"_

" _Good idea, Ryo. But Yukiya, you will provide support for all of us. The simulator environment used is a mountainous forest, with a waterfall and stream in the middle, where the stream runs through the whole forest."_

"Akito's correct. And what are the main strengths of the Alexander? Their transformation enables us to maneuver easily in the forest. And two of us have flight capability. Yukiya, use the forest and snipe the enemies. And for this, I have two new weapons which I'd love to test out." He said, grinning almost ferally.

" _Hey, I have an idea. For this battle and all from now, Hikaru's callsign will be Wolf."_

" _Kitsune will be better."_

" _No. Okami will be better!"_

"Yukiya, Ayano, quiet. And no, the callsigns will not change."

" _B-but-"_

" _Unless you want me to call you mouse. Or how does midget sound? You are the shortest of us all. So, what do you think, Kosaka"_

The female pilot immediately shut her mouth.

" _That's good. Now, Yukiya, you will cover me. They know that I am the leader and will try and surround. Once they come close, I will engage them while Akito, Ayano and Ryo attack them from the cover of the fire. And once they start to attack, you will fire shots to distract them and set up traps to box them in. In the meantime, we will drag them into the trap area."_

"Lelouch, we need to have several is not your average run-of-the-mill strategist."

" _I know, Hikaru. And I have many plans. If Schneizel is what I think he is, then he will force me to use up all my plans. If all else fails, then we use brute force."_

"In terms of brute force, the Gardien and Liberte are enough to overpower them."

The simulators started, making them appear in the middle of a forest.

Their opponents were standing opposite them, weapons ready.

The countdown started. _"All right, everyone ready?"_

"Yep, Lulu."

" _Damn you, Hikaru! Damn you! Why did Shirley even have that nickname for me?!"_

"If you want me to call you Lelouch, then-"

" _Call me LL if you need to. Or else Echo."_

"LL it is." He said, an amused smirk visible on his face.

" _Anyway, Omega, use blue chaff smoke and cover the others. Alpha, use your Float System to move to the waterfall and hide in the trees. Then set up traps around the area in a 100 meter radius circle. Use your rifle in Hadron Mode. Charlie, go to point E-7 and set up your gear there. In a 100 meter radius around your position, set traps. Then use your sniper rifle in Hadron Blaster Mode. Bravo, Delta, move in opposing sides while digging trenches with your Slash Harkens. Draw them through the ground. For this purpose, use the Propulsion Wings. And then rendezvous with Alpha at Point E-3. The enemy is at the position E-5. Omega, use the guns to fire shots at the enemies, don't hit them. By this time, Schneizel will have anticipated the strategy. He will not let any of them move towards the trap. Now, you will have to draw them towards point E-2. From there, withdraw towards E-6. At E-8, you will fire a Chaos Mine and leave the shrapnel. Omega, that is your job. Once that is done, Alpha, Bravo, use your clo-"_

"LL, stop! We aren't supercomputers like you. You know the plan and the positions. So you guide us. We know the initial strategy. And then, guide us from there."

" _Fine."_

The countdown reached 0 and Hikaru immediately fired a grenade at the ground before moving back. The four Knightmares disappeared through the smoke, one of them darting at high speed. Yukiya disappeared into the cover of the forest, setting up his gear and planting mines over the area. Meanwhile, Ayano and Ryo fired their Slash Harkens into the ground, dragging them in a circle as they created trenches in the ground.

The Glaston Knights moved immediately.

" _You are mine, Hikaru."_ One of the Knightmares lunged at the black Knightmare.

" _Omega, don't engage any of them. Follow defensive maneuvers."_

"Understood." The Gardien moved back, not drawing any weapons, using its Propulsion Wings to move back in a circle.

"Hmm… Bart, ever heard the phrase, 'Haste makes waste' during your life?" He asked as he jumped over the trench.

He then fired a smoke grenade at the Knightmare, making it stop as the whole area was shrouded in smoke.

Akito, meanwhile, set up mines around his area as the trench cut through the stream. The two Alexanders then fired their Slash Harkens into the mountain, climbing up the waterfall in an impressive show of speed and flexibility.

" _What's this? No one is using any weapons."_

"LL, looks like Schneizel is checking our moves."

" _Fortunately, he has caught onto the initial plans. And he won't fall for the traps. Now, Charlie, fire about 10 shots at the enemies, but don't hit them. Make them miss, by about a margin of 5 meters."_

" _Understood."_

" _Bravo, Delta, where are you?"_

" _We have made contact with Alpha and are on standby."_

" _Good. Bravo, how many mines do you possess?"_

" _About 10."_

" _10? Delta?"_

" _Same. We are more suited to close-range combat."_

" _Okay. Now, place each of the mines at the coordinates that I am sending. Omega, open line 6."_

Hikaru opened the encryption line created by Yukiya.

" _Good. Now, Bravo, Delta, place the mines at the new coordinates. Charlie's encrypted cannot be cracked by them. Alpha, deploy blue chaff smoke over the whole area."_

" _Understood, Commander LL."_

The two blue Knightmares moved away from their position, hidden in the cover of the chaff smoke as they planted the mines.

As the chaff started to clear, Lelouch ordered, _"Now, Omega, fire flamethrower towards E-5, wide range. Burn all the trees in the range of the flames. Alpha, descend with stealth. The chaff will cloak your Knightmare. Now, you will clash with the closest Knightmare and bring him into the air."_

The Liberté started its flight as a huge fire was set in the area. A few moments later, a Gloucester was thrown into the air through the fire.

" _Charlie, destroy its right arm and weapon."_

A single shot disarmed the Gloucester. This tactic continued for about 15 minutes before they stopped.

"Alfred and Bart can be dealt with. But, Claudio, David and Edgar are stronger than them. Claudio has the highest chance of surviving. LL, Claudio is mine."

" _Alright. You can take him. Alpha, you will beat David. Your fighting style can take him on. Charlie, you are to snipe and destroy Edgar. Bravo, Delta, you will deal with the last two together, whatever tactics you want to use. However, draw all of them into the traps during the fighting. Omega will activate all the traps."_

Hikaru gained a smirk at Lelouch's plan. "Good plan, LL."

 **10 minutes later**

"So, Claudio, ready to give up?" Hikaru asked rhetorically before attacking, piercing the arm with his sword.

He then picked the Knightmare up, flying into the air, while the Gloucester tried to attack. The purple Knightmare was suddenly dropped, its back facing the ground. Hikaru then aimed the left fist of the Gardien at the falling Knightmare, grinning all the while as he pushed the button. Slash Harkens shot out of the wrist, piercing the Knightmare in various locations. As the Knightmare now hung like a limp puppet, a small slot on the Gardien's arm opened up and a cannon appeared from it.

" **Blast Cannon** , let's see how it works." He squeezed the button lightly. Immediately, a bolt of electricity hit the Knightmare. "Cool!" The purple Knightmare was electrocuted badly, its circuits short-circuited and sparks running through the Knightmare's armor.

The Eclipse was drawn as now, sparks danced across the blade. A jet of blue flames hit the Knightmare, burning through the armor. Hikaru slashed clean through the Knightmare, cutting it in half, resulting in a big explosion.

"LL, Claudio is out. Now, I am planning on taking care of Edgar." The black Knightmare zipped through the air, its wings cutting through the air before it as it swooped down.

"Hey, which one of you is Edgar?" He asked as he drew the Eclipse again. A Knightmare charged at him, the lance poised to pierce through the Knightmare. Suddenly, the Eclipse was covered in lightning as the Gardien disappeared from sight. Only the crackling of electricity was heard before Hikaru spoke, "Behind you." As the Gloucester whirled around to face the Knightmare, the cockpit was cut cleanly in half.

"I said behind you. Not which direction." He said before he sheathed the Eclipse.

"LL, what is the status of the others?"

" _Alpha, Bravo and Delta are bringing their opponents into the traps. Charlie is ready to snipe any of them if needed."_

"Have Charlie fire at the Knightmares that Bravo and Delta are fighting. And tell Alpha to retreat to my position into the trap."

" _Alright."_

A few minutes later, the Liberte arrived at the clearing, the Gloucester following closely.

"David, I didn't expect you to fall for the trap."

" _Huh?"_

A huge explosion rang out as the Gardien activated the trap, eliminating everything in a circle of 100 meters.

As the flames cleared, the Liberte was above the ground, hovering safely above the flames.

The Gardien however was different. It was in the middle of the flames, which were just at a distance from the black Knightmare. The black color and flames made the Gardien look even more terrifying and even more cool.

" _You sure like the theatrics, don't you?"_

"Says the one who makes his big public appearance saving some idiot." He said, making the other wince at the hidden jab.

Another explosion rang out as the Glaston Knights were totally decimated. The Alexander Valiants appeared from the trap area, damaged lightly, with the highest being a dent in the head and a destroyed rifle.

The simulation ended and they exited the cockpit.

They were met by Schneizel and the Glaston Knights, the latter hanging their heads down, clearly depressed.

"Splendid victory. I would really like to meet this LL."

"He will meet you if he wants to meet you, Schneizel. He has had a bad experience with royals."

"I know, but I think he would want to meet me." He then leaned in, unnoticed by everyone. "He is my brother after all." He whispered quietly. Hikaru froze from the words, his eyes widened slightly.

As their opponents disappeared from view, Lelouch came next to him, laying a hand on his shoulder.

"What happened, Hikaru?" He asked, concerned for his friend slash brother.

"H-he knows… Schneizel knows that you are alive." He said, shock visible in his eyes.

Two amethyst eyes widened in shock as he registered the words.

XXXXXXXXXX

Two doors burst open as Hikaru walked into the meeting, Lelouch following closely behind, his face hidden by a cap. Both of them had their Geass activated, the sigil flaring in their eyes.

"Hikaru! What are you doing, barging in like this?!" He glared at the prince.

"Schneizel, how did you know?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know what I am talking about!" He shouted.

"Calm down." He then turned to Lelouch, saying, "Please remove that cap. I promise you that no one in here will reveal your identity."

Kanon came up from behind him, holding the teen in place. The cap was knocked off his head.

"Welcome back from the dead, Lelouch vi Britannia." Schneizel said, a smile on his face.

In a second, Hikaru was by Lelouch's side, his katana drawn as he removed Kanon's hand, holding it threateningly and painfully.

"Kanon, please come back. Hikaru, I mean no harm. Please unhand my assistant."

The blue-eyed assistant fell forward, only for Hikaru to place his katana before him.

"Don't even try anything. I still have my knives." He said, a knife already in his hand.

"Please stop. I didn't mean to harm you or Lelouch."

"Really? How can I trust you?"

"Because if I did want to harm you, then I would have already told the whole Royal Family that Lelouch was alive."

His answer made some sense. "Lelouch, don't use your Geass." He whispered quietly before turning back to the Chancellor of Britannia.

"What do you want with him?" "I simply want to meet my brother no-"

"Schneizel, do not beat around the bush. I want two answers, immediately. How did you find out and what are your intentions?"

"I connected the dots. First, Euphie said that she saw someone who looked like Lelouch. And also saw someone like Nunnally, but the change was she was able to walk and see. Second, Anya once reported to me that she saw a Lelouch commanding them during an operation. Third, the strategy. It is the one Lelouch used. Fourth, the name, Lelouch Lamperouge. Lamperouge is the maiden name of Empress Marianne. Fifth, the name LL. Lelouch Lamperouge. Sixth, the files. I checked the files for the members of the Wyverns. Lelouch Lamperouge was registered under your authority. I simply connected the dots."

Lelouch sighed as he said, "I give up." Hikaru relaxed his stance before sheathing his Narukami. "You are sharp as ever, brother."

"It seems like you beat me for the first time, Lelouch." He said with a smile.

"I have some requests to make of you." Lelouch said. "Whatever you want."

XXXXXXXXXX

Hikaru looked at Lelouch with a smirk.

"Didn't know that you could negotiate like that."

"I am a prince after all."

"That you are."

They looked at the screen in the car.

"With this, the funds that both the Wyverns and the Maelstrom Corp. possess are in surplus."

"So, you can finish the reconstruction of the ghettos when?"

"In about 4-6 months."

"Good."

"Lelouch, there is something I want to say. Regarding the Black Knights…"

"We are already regarded as a terrorist group."

"By the government."

"You too are under the government."

"We are much like a special forces team. We were formed under Schneizel's command. So, we are out of the chain of command."

"Which means that…"

"If I wanted to, I can override the Viceroy's orders. However, Cornelia knows this. Almost all of her actions are under the post of Chief General."

"So your hands are tied."

"But I can manage if I don't act. But that too can be only for so far. About what happened at Narita…"

"It was a miscalculation."

"It would have cost lot of civilian lives. I don't care if soldiers die, Lelouch. A soldier should be prepared to die, at all times. However, civilians don't deserve such a thing. They are innocent."

"Hardly."

"Shirley? Her father? The Student Council?" He asked, knowing the answer.

"They are innocent. If we hadn't stopped the landslide, the town would have been buried. And lots of civilians would have been killed. That means the Wyverns would be forced to consider you a threat."

"What do you want exactly?"

"Unless it is extremely important, don't interfere in anything. The operation at Yokosuka, decline. Or make something up. Tell Kyoto that your Knightmares are damaged or that you are busy or something more important has come up. Just don't interfere in the battle. I am asking you this as a friend."

Lelouch seemed to have an internal debate going on with himself before he complied.

"Kaguya is in the house?"

"She is. I will pass on the message to her that Zero wants to talk to her and Kirihara."

"Thanks."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Is that my Knightmare?" Anya asked, looking at the black Knightmare with dark pink streaks here and there. "Yep. The Dragoon, modified and upgraded according to your wishes," Hikaru answered as he threw her the key, "and it is, right now, the strongest Knightmare in the Wyverns after the Gardien and probably the Liberte. I think it is appropriate if you name it yourself."

"Hmm…" She walked around the Knightmare, looking at the machine and the weapons too.

"The Dragoon… Wyvern, I guess."

"Well then, **H-03 Dragoon Wyvern** it is." He said as she entered the cockpit.

He then entered his own Knightmare and flew beside it.

"Anya, this will be your first mission. We are going to wipe out a terrorist hideout completely. No survivors. The location is a ghetto near Hakodate. There are no civilians. The place is located in the mountains."

" _Roger. How do we go there?"_

"I trust you have read the manual." Receiving a nod, he continued, "We use the Fafnir. In this case, normally we would have support but I plan to see your skills. LL will be the commander. The callsigns are Omega for me. You will be…-" _"I will take the name Venus."_ She interrupted him.

"Are you sure?" He then nodded and said, "Fine. Anyway, LL will be in the Fafnir and will operate it, along with providing us the enemy's location. Venus, you will be leading. I will provide cover fire and interfere when I feel it is necessary."

" _Understood."_

" _So, you good to go?"_

"Yep, LL. Now, we are coming there. Input the location."

 **30 minutes later**

The two Knightmares landed in the ghetto.

"Remember, Venus. All the people here are suspected to be terrorists. I will apprehend all who look like civilians. You will proceed to enemy base and decimate it."

" _Roger."_

As the Dragoon Wyverns flew away to a tall building in the centre of the ghetto, all its missiles activated.

As the Gardien started rounding up people, a big explosion was heard as the Dragoon fired all the missiles at the building, destroying it without a trace.

" _She took it quite literally, huh?"_

"Looks like it."

" _What will you do with her, Leader Omega? She seems to be a bit troublesome and I can see you paying bills for property damage in the future."_

"Do you want to spar with me again?" He asked, boredom evident in his voice.

" _There seem to be enemies in the buildings surrounding the base!"_ He said, quite hastily, making Hikaru laugh.

"Good work, Venus. Return to the Fafnir."

" _What about the other enemies?"_

"Only ashes left of them."

" _Then I will return to the Fafnir."_

"Alright."

As the black Knightmare flew towards the hovering ship, the Gardien's cockpit opened and the pilot jumped down onto the ground, where a woman with black hair and blue eyes, which were partially opened. His eyes moved down to the shrapnel lodged in her heart.

'Her heart was pierced. She should be dead by now but she is still alive. Which means that she is an immortal.'

He picked her up, carrying her into the cockpit and flew up to the Fafnir. She started to stir, mumbling incoherently. By the time the Gardien was in the Fafnir, the woman was fully awake.

"W-who're you?" She asked.

"It is not good manners to ask someone their name before stating yours." He replied.

"Natsumi."

"Hikaru. Sumeragi Hikaru Alaina. And can you tell me why you are going by your own name instead of some immortals who use initials?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, losing her composure momentarily.

"Don't try to play dumb. I know about Geass. And I know that there is one thing that an immortal wants. Death."

"I don't."

He seemed to be surprised before he spoke, "You don't? Why?"

"I don't want to die. Unless it is required. But I will give you Geass, if that is what you want."

"I already have one Geass."

She looked at his left eye, which had the Geass sigil in his pupil.

"It is not at its full power. Looks like it was altered. I think the Geass I can give you will give you the full power you desire."

"Then… I accept that Geass. In exchange for the power you will grant me, what can I do for you?"

She was silent for a few moments as she made the contract, touching her hand with the Code to his forehead.

"A place to belong." She said, quietly. "I want a place to belong."

He activated the second Geass he received, as the sigil in his left eye glowed for a moment. A blue flame with a black core flickered in his hand, before disappearing. He smirked for a moment before saying, "Then, I hope you like the Wyverns."

XXXXXXXXXX

"Good work today, Anya." Hikaru said as the Fafnir landed.

"Who is she?"

"Geass." He said. "That power again? I still find it hard to believe that you have a power like that."

"Yet I showed you the proof. Trust is important, Anya. She is immortal and she gave me power, in exchange, I will grant her wish."

"Do what you want to. You are the leader."

"Now, I think you want to talk to Anna about the weapons?"

"I will find her." As she left the room, Hikaru turned back to the two people accompanying him. "Now, LL, you are free to do what you want. But personally I'd recommend either spending time with Nunnally and the others or improving your piloting skills."

As the exiled prince left the room, grumbling about "Overbearing bosses", Hikaru continued. "Now, Natsumi, this is where you will be staying. If you like this place, you can stay here. If you don't, you can leave."

"That's all? No conditions?"

"Just don't get in the way of the others. And don't let the blonde girl with blue eyes ever talk you into something." He said as he showed her to a room.

"Oh, and take this." He handed her a phone. "If I need to, I will call you on this. And you can contact me if you want to."

She nodded, taking the phone and closing the door quietly, murmuring a "Thanks."

XXXXXXXXXX

Knock. Knock.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Nunnally." Hikaru's voice came through the door. "Are you busy?"

"No. Come in, Hikaru-san."

The brown haired girl was reading a novel from the library in the Weisswolf.

Hikaru entered the room. "Already finished with those novels? You read fast." He commented, setting down a few books on the desk.

"Is the mission over already?"

"Anya took my orders of decimating the base quite literally." He said with a sweatdrop as he remembered the incident 2 hours earlier.

A small bark made the two occupants of the room turn their head towards the door, which was pushed open and a small canine was sticking its head in.

"Akarui, I told you to not wander around without someone looking after you." Hikaru scolded as he picked up the pup, more likely, a young dog, and petted it.

"Are you sure keeping a wolf as a pet is alright?"

"Akarui is alright, Nunnally. Better than some other people I have seen." He said, shuddering at the thought. "Some guy kept crocodiles, pythons, snakes and frogs as pets. Hell, he had an anaconda too." Hikaru said as the wolf in his hands jumped down, its white fur and red eyes a stark contrast to the carpet, looking around the room.

"I meant, is it alright for him? He will be scared of the Knightmares."

Hikaru smiled at the wolf and said, "He isn't. He actually is competitive. He even growled at Ashley in his Red Ogre. And also bit him, I think. He does like biting people when they don't expect it." As if on cue, the white wolf bit him. "Ouch. Akarui, stop that. Anyway, he is not hostile or scared."

He smiled as he remembered the time he found the wolf.

 **Flashback**

 _A shuffling sound alerted him, making him take his knife as he narrowed his eyes. He stood up slowly, the carpet muffling the sound of his feet. He activated his Geass, the lightning crackling as he disappeared, appearing at the entrance of the hangar in an instant. He prepared to stab the trespasser with the knife, only to find a white pup. It tried to growl at him, only to let out a small whimper at the sight of him, as his eyes looked down on it, the blue eyes narrowed and a sharp blade in his hand._

 _Hikaru sighed as he knelt down. 'It's a wolf pup. Why is he here?' He noted as he picked up the small wolf pup, putting his knife away. 'And why the hell is this wolf so white? Normally, wolves around this area are not white.'_

 _A whimper brought him out of his thoughts, making him look at the wolf, which was now lying on his back. 'Submissive and scared of humans… a victim of poaching.'_

 _He picked up the wolf and cradled him in his hands, letting the wolf get familiar with him. He walked out of the hangar, petting the wolf._

" _Akarui. That will be your name." He said, looking at his bright red eyes and bright personality._

 _The newly named Akarui bark-howled as he licked his face, making him laugh._

 **Flashback end**

'Even though it has only been... a few days, I guess, Akarui is fitting in. And Natsumi too, to an extent.'

He looked at the calendar and narrowed his eyes.

'Three months left till the Knights of the Rounds… I need to make the Wyverns strong enough to be able to fight them. And survive. What happens to me is of no consequence.'

He faked a call. "Nunnally, I need to take this. I will talk to you afterwards."

He left the room and then went straight to the training area, drawing Narukami and going through the various katas.

His eyes became blurry and he activated his Geass, embracing the familiar power coursing through his body as he practised with renewed vigor, cutting himself various times, only for his injuries to start healing.

A black haired exiled prince watched as his friend pushed himself, uncaring of the injuries.

'Why is he going so far?'

Meanwhile, the blue haired teen continued to slash, cut and stab, going through the motions repeatedly. 'I am aiming for something beyond perfection, even though perfection does not exist. Hah, looks like I am aiming for something far beyond my reach. But that is why… I will get stronger! I will gain the strength to protect my family and slay all who are a threat to them!'

XXXXXXXXXX

 **This chapter was a bit… rough and average. I didn't have many ideas at the end of the chapter. This fic will be put on hold for a few weeks, for all those who are following this fic. But I will not abandon it. For those who are interested, I am going to post a fanfic on Sword Art Online. Check it out if you are interested. Nothing more to say.**


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